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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28510464">Flannel Required</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DressTheSage/pseuds/DressTheSage'>DressTheSage</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>"I'm going to get you laid and make you go to therapy", CW descriptions of conversion therapy, Dive Bar AU, F/F, Familial trauma, Is 'Dive Bar' AU a thing? I'm making it a thing., Modern AU, Mommy Issues, Mommy Kink, Shameless Dykery, but literally, smut and hurt/comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:07:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>53,798</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28510464</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DressTheSage/pseuds/DressTheSage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Flannel Required”, the well-worn neon sign that stood out on the side of the road proclaimed the establishment’s name to be. </p><p>It had been there since Rhea was a child, and its purpose then was the same as today, a meeting spot for the various ‘lost women’ of her city. Women who, unlike her, heard the sirens call of lust and temptation and decided to dive head first into the waters after it. But Rhea was stronger then that. </p><p>Or at least she had been.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Catherine/Shamir Nevrand, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Flayn, Edelgard von Hresvelg/Rhea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>103</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Winter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Going to start off by giving @LionheartNsfw on Twitter all the credit for this idea. They answered a curiouscat about wanting to see Edelgard dom Rhea, and I had to write to cure the brainworms it gave me. I hope you all enjoy this very very niche fic, because I'll be honest I saw 'Lesbian Bar' and my gay heart SCREAMED to make it as cornily, stereotypically lesbian as I possibly could.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This was an absolutely idiotic idea. </p><p>Rhea knew that, she knew it from the moment she first considered it. It had been a throw away thought on her drive home from work. She was an educator at Saint Seiros’s College for Gifted Young Women, which residing in the heart of Firdhiad meant she had a rather long commute to her home in the forest outside of the city. She hadn’t even realized she’d thought about it until she was nearly a mile past the shoddy little dive bar that had inspired her temptation. “Flannel Required”, the well-worn neon sign that stood out on the side of the road proclaimed the establishment’s name to be. </p><p>It had been there since Rhea was a child, and its purpose then was the same as today, a meeting spot for the various ‘lost women’ of her city. Women who, unlike her, heard the sirens call of lust and temptation and decided to dive head first into the waters after it. But Rhea was stronger then that. Or at least she had been. But, it appeared that her years of fighting temptation hadn’t made her any better at it. </p><p>Not like her mother. She could remember during her youth, her mother spent long hours among the rabble of that bar, preaching the good word of the Goddess, and trying to convince the women there to repent and pray, to save their souls. </p><p>She’d spend such long hours out there preaching that she'd return home limping from all the strain it had taken on her joints. Even once or twice, Rhea had heard her mother come home late with a recent convert with whom she’d spend long hours of the night praising the goddess. </p><p>But one evening on her drive home, almost a year and a half ago, she had seen the sign and thought how easy it would be to simply pull into the parking lot of the shoddy imitation of Sodom, of course tucked away behind the building so none of the patrons had to fear being found out, and walk inside. She wasn’t unattractive, so she doubted finding a ‘companion’ for the evening would be difficult. One she could trust to keep her mouth shut, perhaps. But, even when she kept it up in a tight bun, her bright green hair, one of her few ‘excentricities’ she allowed herself, was quite good at attracting attention, and she was well aware that her hips and rear end were not unenticing by any means. </p><p>She’d jerked so hard on her steering wheel when she realized what she was debating that she nearly drove into a ditch. In fairness, perhaps whatever head trauma that might’ve caused her would've done her the mercy of erasing the thought from her memory. But, sadly that was not her fate. Instead, she was left thinking about just how easy it would be to turn in and find ‘company’ every evening as she drove home. She even felt the temptation when driving home from church on sundays. </p><p>Those days always seemed to be the most tempting of them all. </p><p>She thought she ought to be proud at managing to fight the urge for so long, but… well she’d only made it that year by letting go of basically every other ounce of self restraint she had. Had she not given in to more ‘manual’ methods of scratching that same itch, and the rather absurdly large pile of ‘books’ that barely deserved the title for how little substance beyond pornography they contained, she’d have likely given in after less than a month. </p><p>But, now here she was. The door to her silver sedan slamming shut behind her as she walked to the dimly lit doorway of the bar. It was just starting to snow, and Rhea scolded herself for not thinking to pack a jacket. </p><p>Why was she even there? She knew exactly why but the part of her screaming at her to leave right then and there was too loud to allow her to actually think it. So, she just let herself follow the rush of adrenaline pouring into her veins as she moved ever closer, only faltering when the tired looking woman sitting at the stool beside the door leaned forward, holding her arm out to the side, over the doorway. Rhea nearly turned and ran right there as the woman spoke. </p><p>“Got an ID, ma’am?” The woman asked. She was wearing a tattered black tank top that looked to be chopped from the tshirt of what was likely some satanic rock band, along with a gold ring on her left ring finger, tight green pants and a matching leather jacket. Where did one even buy green leather? And what kind of disaster wears cowboy boots with an outfit like that? Come to think of it, her hair was a rather shockingly rich blue, and Rhea wondered if she might have some advice on better maintaining the green in her hair, when the woman cleared her throat. “Ma’am, I’m going to need to see some ID.” </p><p>“Oh, um, of course miss...” Rhea said, reaching into her purse, a small cream colored bag that went well with the eggshell color of her dress.The wide leather belt around her waist pulled the garment tighter around her, and made her frame stand out even more. It still went down to her knees, she wasn’t a harlot, but it was certainly not something she’d wear to church. She handed the woman her ID, and heard her say her name was ‘Shamir’ as she gave the card a quick once over, seeming to find something surprising. </p><p>“Rhea...Seiros? Like saint Seiros?” Shamir asked, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. </p><p>“Yes.” Rhea snapped, a bit harsher than she had intended. “It’s a rather common last name. Now may I please go in? It’s absolutely frigid.” Rhea could swear she heard the younger woman mutter about her ‘finding some way to warm up rather quickly’, but before she could ask her to repeat that, the doorwoman handed back her ID. </p><p>“Sorry Ma’am, you can’t come in.” Shamir seemed almost bored as she leaned back in her stool. </p><p>“Excuse me? I’m well above 21, young lady.” Rhea said, incredulous. </p><p>“Yeah, but you’re missing something pretty key.” The woman pointed above her head to the neon sign that was well faded by time and use. “Flannel Required”. </p><p>“You have to be kidding me.” Rhea said, feeling a pang of guilt at just how much the prospect of leaving saddened her. Shamir shrugged. </p><p>“Sorry lady, we make the rule clear as day. Ain’t our fault everyone thinks it’s a joke. You might try the Gonneral Thrift Shop up the road from here. I know the shop owner makes a pretty penny off of selling baby dykes overpriced shirts when they get turned away on their 21st’s. Mostly cus she usually blows the proceeds here.” </p><p>“It’s nearly ten at night, I doubt that store is open.” Rhea said, now genuinely upset. Shamir simply shrugged again. </p><p>“Sorry, I really don’t-” </p><p>“Mimi, baby, are you fucking with a newbie again? You know Dorie will have your ass if you make another one cry on the premises.” A tall blonde butted in, leaning out of the doorway Shamir had been blocking. She had a bar towel tossed over her shoulder, along with a ratty, worn-down dress shirt that might’ve once been white, but now could charitably be called beige. It was unbuttoned down to the last 2 or three buttons, showing a shockingly clean undershirt, and with the way she was leaning against the door frame, forearm pressed against the wood as her other arm was behind her, her hand on her hip, Rhea could clearly see the plain gold wedding band on her finger. </p><p>“She can’t come in.” Shamir said without an ounce of humor. </p><p>“Are you kidding me, look at this woman, she-” It was at that moment that both Rhea and the blonde seemed to have a moment of mutual realization. “Holy shit, Professor? Long time no see! How you been?” Rhea was struck dumb at the pure misfortune of events as she tried to regain enough control of her thoughts to turn and run to her car. The blonde, however, seemed to take this as confusion as to who she was. “Oh, uh, it’s me, Catherine, I TA’d for you when I was in school.” </p><p>“I’m assuming that was before you got thrown out?” Shamir asked, looking up at Catherine as if Rhea wasn’t even there. </p><p>“Ha, ha, ha, babe.” Catherine’s sarcastic laughter seemed to make Shamir smile. “Come on, let the poor woman in.  You know the bosses don’t give a shit about the flannel rule, and she’s old enough to be your freaking mother.” </p><p>“Hot.” Shamir said, making Catherine’s eyes roll as the doorwoman began lowering her arm and giving Rhea a clear path into the venue.  </p><p>“You concern me sometimes sweetheart. Come inside if you start getting cold, It’s frosty as a witch's tit out here and I don’t want you getting sick again.” Catherine leaned down and gave Shamir a peck on the forehead, before walking into the bar, waving for Rhea to follow. “Come on in, Professor.” Catherine beckoned, and Rhea, despite  her urge to flee now that she knew there was someone here that knew who she was, walked in after her. She saw Catherine walk behind the bar, pulling the rag off her shoulder to wipe at the counter as she gestured to the line of stools occupying the other side. Rhea sat, looking around as Catherine seemed to speak, but she caught little of it. </p><p>The bar… well it was exactly what she’d expected. Your typical dive bar, with generic wall coverings, the odd acoustic guitar hung from the wall, along with pictures and paintings that ranged from generic landscapes to downright pornographic depictions of women. The soft strums of the guitar playing in the background of a Brandi Carlisle song was filling the room from the several cheap looking speakers affixed in the corners of the ceiling, and she could see several women talking amongst themselves. A girl with shockingly bright orange hair and another with hair a similarly vibrant pink seemed to be standing on either side of a nervous looking women with blue hair on the other side of the room, and whether they were competing for her or cooperating Rhea couldn’t tell, although she wondered just how much hair dye had been used just among the women in here tonight. It must have been several hundred dollars worth. </p><p>“Hey, Professor, you listenin’?” Catherine asked. Rhea whipped her head around, and swallowed as she realized just how dry her throat had become. </p><p>“I… I’m sorry Catherine, no, I missed what you said.” Rhea said, only to see her shrug, shockingly similar to the woman that had been at the front. </p><p>“I was apologizing for my wife’s antics. She can be kind of a stickler for the rules. Feels like since we had to deal with ‘em, all the little baby dykes should as well. I think it’s a massive pain in the ass, but the hell do I know, right?” Catherine just shrugged again, and Rhea found herself cought on the word ‘wife’. “So, what can I get you to drink, Professor?” </p><p>“I...I’ll have something strong. Give me a Black Adrestian, and heavy on the vodka. And please, Catherine, refrain from calling me ‘professor’. I... I’d rather my being here remain somewhat unnoticed, let alone traceable back to my work. Just call me Rhea.” Catherine seemed to almost look at Rhea with pity in her eyes. </p><p>“Ah, I see… Well uh, I guess we all gotta take our own little baby steps then. I don't get many orders for that type of thing except from the boss, so I gotta go grab the coffee liquor from the back, gimme just a minute Pr-... Rhea.” Rhea was left sitting at the bar, trying to ponder what exactly Catherine had been talking about regarding ‘baby steps’,  when just as the blonde was stepping through the door into the back, a voice was calling from behind her. </p><p>“Catherine! Catherine! Where the hell are you-” The door had long since swung shut, and the woman that had been calling after the bartender groaned. “Goddess fucking damnit.” the person said, coming to a stop several steps to Rhea’s left. While Rhea ought to have wondered why the woman’s white hair looked so familiar, some deep part of her couldn’t fight the reflex of what she was about to say. </p><p>“It’s improper to take the goddess’s name in vain.” Rhea let slip, and only as she saw the violet eyes of the woman she had just reprimanded did she realize just how much she ought to have shut up, or perhaps never walked into this bar to begin with.</p><p>“Did I fucking ask!?” The white haired woman turned to stare her down, only to pause. </p><p>Rhea wanted to disappear. </p><p>Rhea wanted to evaporate from existence and have all traces she’d ever been on the world wiped away. </p><p>Catherine she could survive, the girl had always been bearable, and Rhea had never been especially cruel to her, but… Edelgard von Hresvelg was another story entirely. </p><p>While it was clear she hadn’t grown much in height, likely several inches shorter than Rhea still, Edelgard seemed quite a bit different then she had been nearly half a decade prior when she’d been in Rhea’s class. When before Rhea had only ever seen her in uniform, now Edelgard was wearing a tight black hooded sweater underneath a heavy plaid jacket that was patterned with red black and grey stripes. Her hair was pulled up in a brazos that seemed to have had a lot of effort of into making it look like it'd taken no effort at all, and her tattered black jeans seemed to have more holes in them then actual fabric. </p><p>Edelgard’s tongue had been pressed to the roof of her mouth when she’d turned, as if preparing some tirade against Rhea, but as they made eye contact, Rhea heard her former student click her tongue as her lips settled from a scowl into a neutral expression that seemed hungry in a way that made Rhea’s throat feel dry, from fear, of course. What else?</p><p>Edelgard cleared her throat, scratching at the back of her head. “Well, this is certainly awkward.” She said, and as Rhea was prepared to turn and run for her car, she said something that left her instead struck dumb for the second or third time that evening. “My apologies, miss, for being so rude. It’s been a hell of a night. I don’t believe we’ve met before.” Edelgard stepped closer, offering her hand. “Edelgard, my friends call me Edie.” </p><p>Rhea swallowed back the shock at the fact that Edelgard, a woman she’d instructed less than 5 years ago, didn’t seem to recognize her while Catherine, who had been graduated nearly twice as long, did. Before she could think to question it, she took the hand and shook it. She just prayed that the younger woman had never learned her name beyond ‘Professor Seiros’. “R..Rhea.” </p><p>“Rhea? Well that’s a lovely name. It’s very fitting.” Edelgard said, letting their hands drop from each other. “What brings you to our little slice of heaven then, Rhea?” She asked, leaning against the bar. </p><p>“Nothing much.” Rhea said as casually as she could, opting for a non-answer in lue of trying to find a good excuse that wasn’t either a blatant admission of her reason for attending, or the fact that as far as she was willing to admit, she had no reason to be there. </p><p>Thankfully, that was when Catherine decided to return, stepping through the door to the back with a heavy bottle of dark liquor in her hand. She looked up and saw Edelgard leaned against the bar, and seemed to find something about the situation funny as she chuckled to herself, setting the liquor on the bar </p><p>“There you are, you skyscraper.” Edelgard said, reaching into her jacket and producing an envelope, handing it to Catherine. </p><p>“Just because I’m an actual human height, and you’re a pipsqueak doesn’t make me a skyscraper. And yeah, we got an order for a Black Adrestian, so I had to grab some of your pretentious bullshit for it.” Catherine said as she flipped through the envelope, with a rather thick stack of bills inside it.</p><p>“Hey, some caution on who you insult might do you well, there, bigfoot. Would you and Shamir be willing to pull an extra shift this week? Ingrid and Mercy got engaged, and they’re wanting to have a joint bachelorette party on Thursday.” </p><p>“Shove my big foot up your ass you fucking runt.” Catherine muttered as she waited for Edelgard to finish talking before nodding. “Yeah, usually we have lunch with her mom Thursdays, so as long as you don’t make us miss that, that ought to be doable.” </p><p>“Perfect. You’re a saint.” Edelgard said. </p><p>“Fuck you too, boss.” Catherine stuck the envelope in her pocket, and pulled out a glass as she began preparing Rhea’s drink. “Did they really get engaged already? Hasn't it been like, six months?" </p><p>"This is Ingrid we are talking about. I consider that restrained for her." Edelgard said, making Catherine laugh.</p><p>"You know what, that's fair. Rhea, you want any cream in this, hun?” She asked as she began pouring the vodka. </p><p>“No, it’s fine black.” Rhea assured. Catherine finished preparing the drink and popped it onto the counter as Rhea reached for her purse. </p><p>“No need to worry about that.” Edelgard said, waving for Rhea to put her bag down. “Catherine, put her drinks on my tab, and make me one as well.” Edelgard said, taking the seat beside Rhea. The bartender shrugged, and began making a second Black Adrestian. </p><p>“Oh, you don’t have to. I am more than able to pay for myself.” Rhea assured, not sure what exactly was going on, and why Edelgard would be so kind even if she didn’t recognize her. </p><p>“I insist. I’m just glad to see someone in here with actual taste.” Edelgard takes the glass from Catherine, and takes a drink before putting it down on a napkin. “Seems like every woman who walks in is either drinking cheap beer or something fruitier than most of our clientele.” </p><p>“Well, I appreciate the gesture. I’ve never been one much for beer, nor too much sugar.” Rhea took a polite drink from her glass, not leaving a speck of her lipstick on the rim. </p><p>“Then I think we’re going to get along great. So, tell me about yourself.” Edelgard asks as she looks at Rhea, a finger tracing the rim of her glass absent-mindedly. </p><p>“What about you? I, well there’s not much to tell.” Rhea said trying to avoid revealing anything that might remind Edelgard of who she was.</p><p>“Well, I don’t believe that for a second. But, I’ll go first if you’d rather. I’m 26, and a Gemini if you’re into that sorta thing. Just don’t let Marianne hear that. I’ve been refusing to tell her for nearly a year now and it’s too good of a joke to give up. She keeps saying i’m ‘acting like such a virgo’ whatever the fuck that means.” Rhea rolled her eyes at the cursing, but the corner of her lips curled into a barely perceivable smile. </p><p>“What do you do for work?” Rhea asked. Edelgard gestured to the building around them. </p><p>“You’re looking at it.” </p><p>“Oh, so you work here?” Edelgard laughed, taking a drink from her glass before replying. </p><p>“I own this fine establishment. Well, me and a friend of mine.” Rhea went wide eyed at that. </p><p>“You… how could someone your age own a place like this?” </p><p>“Wasn’t exactly expensive. The old owners were a cute old couple that were retiring to Enbarr, but they wanted to keep the joint in ‘the family’’ if you catch my drift, and I was in need of a steady flow of income, so me and my girlfriend at the time ended up buying it, and now we just try to stop everyone from burning it down.”</p><p>“Oh, your girlfriend?” Rhea wondered why that was the part she fixated on, but the moment the words left her lips she realized it was more than a little odd of a thing to say. </p><p>“Ex now.” Edelgard said it as if she were trying to reassure Rhea of something, but she wasn’t sure what. </p><p>“Oh, well, I’m sorry to hear that.” Was that an appropriate thing to say in a situation like this? What sort of situation even was this? What the hell had she gotten herself into?</p><p>“Meh, it’s not a big deal. She’s still one of my best friends, and she’s a good business partner. At least we’ve managed to keep this place afloat so far. So, what about you?” Edelgard asked before taking another drink, setting the glass down and signalling Catherine for another. </p><p>“Oh, I’m not with anyone.” Rhea said, finishing her own drink and then matching Edelgard signal to Catherine. </p><p>“Well, good to know. But I meant what do you do for a living?” Edelgard clarified and whether or not she saw that blush that crept onto Rhea’s cheeks as she realized her mistake, Rhea wasn’t sure. </p><p>“Oh! Well, I work at the academy.” Rhea said without thinking, quickly adding on: “As a Librarian. I work at the academy as a librarian. I… I love books.” Rhea finally quit speaking, using the arrival of her second drink as an excuse to stop. </p><p>“Ah, a well read woman. Very nice. I actually went to the academy a couple years back.” </p><p>“D..did you?” Rhea asked, feeling her heart hammer against her chest. </p><p>“Yup. Had the uniform with the socks and the little school crest and all. ‘Saint Seiros’s College for Gifted Young Women’” Edelgard said the name with overtly mocking aplom. “Gifted my sweet Adrestian ass. All I ever saw there was a bunch of rich girls whose parents would rather ship them off then deal with the risk of them being legal and getting knocked up by the pool boy.” Rhea bit back the rage that the comment inspired in her, mocking the institution that employed her. </p><p>“I don’t think it’s anything of the sort. During your time there, perhaps, but it is a fine institution.” Rhea said, letting off a quiet ‘hmph’ before taking a long pull off of her drink. </p><p>“Maybe. Maybe I was just a shit student, maybe shit changed since I left.” Edelgard wondered, looking to Rhea as she continued. “They still do all that ‘corporal punishment’ there?” </p><p>“Yes, in fact. One of the only places of higher education in the country that still does.” </p><p>“Very nice. Third and fourth years there make up a pretty sizable amount of our patrons, so I had heard stories but I just assumed they were made up for kicks. But I wasn’t sure. They did it plenty when I went there. Had this one teacher that absolutely hated me. I couldn’t seem to go a week without winding up on her shit list. One time, she caned me so damn hard it actually left a scar. It’s still there, too.” Edelgard said with pride, and all Rhea could do was keep from running from the conversation entirely. </p><p>She had been that teacher. </p><p>So if Edelgard remembered that, why didn’t she remember her? </p><p>“Oh… Oh my I’m sorry to hear that.” Rhea lied through her teeth. </p><p>“Eh, don’t be. My story ain’t very rare. Just another girl who went to catholic school and ended up gay with a thing for bdsm and a crush on my teacher. We’re a dime a fuckin’ dozen in a town like this.” Edelgard said, and as Rhea tried to pick her jaw up off the floor, the younger woman tossed back the rest of her drink, slamming the glass down and signalling for another. </p><p>“Oh, w..well oh my.” Rhea stammered as she tried to not show her nerves. Edelgard had had a crush on her? Has a crush on her? She hadn’t said anything about it being a thing of the past. Was she talking about some other instructor she had at that time? She must be. It’d be rather curious to remember a crush on someone but not who that person was. </p><p>“Heh, sorry. I forget folks aren’t always as cavalier about talking about that type of thing as I am. I hope my brief allusion to a fondness for paddles and leather didn’t bother you.” Edelgard said, taking her new drink from Catherine who, if Rhea had been paying attention to anything other than not making an ass of herself, she might’ve noticed was holding back laughter. </p><p>“N..no. I’m certainly aware that there are people out there that find… that sort of thing enticing. I however, am not of the sort.” Rhea assured, just short of assuring she wasn’t even the sort to be in a place like this, but she thought that might raise more questions than it answered. </p><p>“Oh of course not.” Edelgard said with a surprisingly scant amount of sincerity. “You strike me as a very upstanding, goddess-fearing woman.” </p><p>“I am, in fact.” Rhea beamed with pride as she took a small sip from her dwindling second glass of vodka and coffee liquor. </p><p>“It’s a shame.” Edelgard sighed wistfully, as if sliding to some grand tragedy.</p><p>“And why, exactly, is that a shame?” Rhea snapped, glaring at Edelgard over the edge of her glass. However, when Edelgard leaned closer and whispered in her ear, she nearly dropped that glass right into her lap. </p><p>“It’s a shame-’ She began, and Rhea felt the heat from her breath send a chill down her spine and the hair on the back of her neck standing up as she continued. “Because I think you’d look lovely in a collar. Just a collar.” Rhea cleared her throat, taking a deep breath as Edelgard pulled away from her ear, taking another sip of her drink as if she hadn’t just done something so brazen and improper that it had sent her heart pounding in her chest so hard she worried it might crack her sternum. </p><p>Yes, it was the indecency of it that was causing that, and it was that reason that she now found her throat dry and it seemed just a bit more difficult to breath. That had to be it. </p><p>“P-pardon?” Rhea asked as she set her cup down. </p><p>“I don’t think I stuttered.” Edelgard said, resting her chin in her hand and her elbow on the table. “Or do you just want me to repeat myself?” </p><p>“No!” Rhea blurted out, the entire room going quiet for a moment save for the music rolling out of the speakers. “No… I’d really rather you didn’t.” </p><p>“Shame. Cus I would have, if only to see you go all red in the face again.” Edelgard said with a casual shrug, picking her glass up and taking a drink. “You’re cute when you get all red.” </p><p>“Excuse me?” Rhea asked. </p><p>“Yeah, like that.” Edelgard said, pointing to Rhea’s cheek. Rhea cleared her throat and tried to put on a serious face. </p><p>“I bet you try this little gambit on every woman who walks through that door.” Rhea went to take another drink but realized she had finished the glass at some point. </p><p>“Nope, Professor, just you. Want another drink? Or would you prefer water?” Edelgard drolled. </p><p>“I think i’ll have anot-” Rhea stopped dead, mouth still open as she realized exactly what had been said. “W...what did you say?” </p><p>“Oh, I asked if you wanted to have another drink, or if you would prefer a water.” Edelgard leaned over again, and yet again Rhea worried she may be having a heart attack with the speed at which hers was thumping along. “Or did you mean when I said that I only act this way around you, Professor?” </p><p>“Y...you knew?” Rhea asked in a faint whisper. </p><p>“Of course I fucking knew. I might be dumb, and a little tipsy, but I’m not blind. I knew it was you the minute you walked in the door. Between the hips and the hair, you’re about as easy to recognize as you are easy on the eyes.” </p><p>“Then why all the song and dance?” Rhea asked, not noticing just how close she and Edelgard were sitting at that point. </p><p>“What can I say… You’re fun to play with.” Just the way Edelgard emphasized the word  ‘play’ sent a shiver down Rhea’s spine. </p><p>“What exactly were you hoping to get out of this little ‘game’ then?” Rhea asked, chewing on her cheek as Edelgard took a sip from her glass, letting her elbows rest on the bar. </p><p>“I’d be willing to wager something similar to you.” Edelgard’s smile was calm and self assured, meanwhile Rhea’s leg was bouncing while her fingers drummed away on the wood of the bar. </p><p>“And you think you know what I want?” Rhea wasn’t quite sure what was so funny about her question, but Edelgard laughed at it anyway. </p><p>“Well, the way I figured it, there’s two reasons why a woman of the goddess such as yourself might be here. Soul saving, or sinning. And you haven’t once tried to preach me the good word, so… I think I know exactly what you want. And, not to boast, but I think I might be able to help with it.” Rhea scoffed at that.</p><p>“Even if you were correct, which you’re not!” Edelgard raised her hands in surrender, elbows still resting on the bar. “What makes you think I’m at all interested in you? I’m not even playing for the same ‘team’ as you, young lady.” </p><p>“Sure, that’s why you decided to walk into a fucking dyke bar, right? To meet men?” Edelgard didn’t seem impressed with her lie. “And, please correct me if I’m wrong here, but you're not exactly a woman who puts up with shit. I have a sneaking suspicion that, were there not some little part of you, or hell, maybe a big part of you, that was interested in my ‘offer’, you’d've told me to go fuck myself about an hour ago. You still can. If you can resolutely say you aren’t interested, i’ll walk my happy ass away, you can still drink the night on my tab, since I did say that and goddess knows I hate to break my word, and I’ll leave you alone. You're dirty little secret doesn't leave the bar.  But… something tells me that’s not going to happen.” </p><p>“And why’s that?” </p><p>“Because, one, if you were going to, you would have. You wouldn’t’ve asked me why. And second, I’m about one of the only prospects for you at the moment. Shamir and Cat, while not completely opposed to the occasional threesome, tend to go for women like themselves. So unless you’ve been hiding the fact you’re trans as well as a carpet muncher all these years, they’re not really an option. Then, there’s the triumphant trio back in the corner, and yeah, Hilda has enough mommy issues that she might work up the courage to buy you a drink, if she wasn’t here with her two girlfriends. And I know for a goddess-damned fact that Leonie and Hilda are much more interested in spitroasting miss star-chart this evening then they’d ever be in pursuing someone new. Dorothea is engaged and her and Petra are the only fucking monogomous people that ever step foot in this bar so you screwed, or well, not, there. And then there’s a couple of the random hangabouts, but where’s the fun in that? So, what do you think, Professor?” </p><p>Edelgard finished, and Rhea bit her lip as, for a moment, she thought about leaving. She knew it would be easy. There was no way they could ever prove she’d actually been there. It’d be so simple to just stand up, take her bag, and walk to her car. She hadn’t even drank enough to be nervous about driving or not. But then, she thought about staying, about what staying would mean, what it would lead to… and as ashamed as it made her, that was so much more tempting. </p><p>She let her eyes wander, down from Edelgard’s eyes to the raised corners of her plump lips, to the teeth the self assured, almost cocky smile she wore allowed to peek through. What would those lips feel like against hers? Those teeth against her throat? Her thigh? Her hair was so nicely done, but all Rhea could wonder was what it might be like to see it loose, slick with sweat… what it might feel like between her fingers, with a younger woman, a former student for goddess’s sake, between her legs. </p><p>“... Fine.” Rhea said, the word weighing a ton as it fell from her tongue. Edelgard let out a self-satisfied chuckle. </p><p>“I’m not going to do anything if you’re so reluctant about it.  If you’re not sure, I’d rather just not.” Edelgard seemed to be walking a fine line between taunting her, and giving her a genuine opportunity to walk away if she wanted to. </p><p>“I’m sure.” Rhea said. She wasn’t, as there was still one small part of her telling her to leave, but that had been the same part of her that told her for over a year to never step foot in this bar, three part of her that screamed she'd burn in hell for this, and she’d already ignored it plenty tonight, what was once more?</p><p>“Wonderful.” Edelgard said, polishing off the remainder of her drink, before leaning over and whispering in Rhea’s ear.  “Since I’m going to guess you want to have some subtlety about this, I’ll walk away now, you give it a few minutes, and follow after. There’s a door beside the bathroom… I’ll leave it unlocked. Follow the stairs up, and give a knock. Understood?” Rhea nodded. “Good girl.” Edelgard said, standing and walking away  as Rhea was left to try and process the absolute white noise that was made of her thoughts at those last two words. It was likely over half a minute before Rhea realized she needed to breathe. She looked up from the bar, and saw Catherine on the other side of it, cleaning a glass with her rag. Rhea waved for another drink, and Catherine sauntered over,  setting an already prepared Adrestian on the counter. </p><p>“You ok?” Catherine asked, leaning against the bar and crossing her arms. “Things seem like they got a lil hush-hush for a minute there.”</p><p>“I’m fine. Just an idiot.” Rhea said, pinching the bridge of her nose as she realized even though she had the perfect opportunity to do so, she wasn’t going to walk away from this. Once that was settled, she picked up the glass and poured it down her throat. </p><p>“Shit, if you wanted a shot you could’ve just asked.” Catherine said, sounding rather impressed. </p><p>“No, that was fine.” Rhea said, looking at Catherine with eyes that begged her not to ask questions. “Could you point me toward the lady’s room?” Catherine nodded to the corner of the room and Rhea could see a pair of doors relatively close to each other. One was clearly marked “Restroom, Ladies and Gentlethems”, while the other was unmarked, however even from a distance Rhea could see that it had been left open just a crack. “Thank you, Catherine.” </p><p>“No problem.” The bartender replied as the pink haired woman, Rhea remembered Edelgard saying her name was Hilda, walked up to the bar and began asking for the fruitiest thing on the menu. </p><p>Rhea didn’t look back as she stepped through the ajar doorway, figuring that would likely draw more attention then simply walking in. She closed the door behind her, and felt it click into place. She was now standing in a narrow stairwell that seemed to lead up to a door on the second floor. She assumed that was her destination, and her heeled boots clicked on the wood of the steps as she went up, and with one last deep breath to calm herself, she knocked on the door. There was a moment that passed like a lifetime, and then the door opened and Edelgard stood in the doorway. </p><p>Her smile was relaxed, if impatient, and as she moved aside, Rhea walked into the rather small apartment that made up the second floor. There was a small living room, with a couch, table, and tv.  The only other notable things besides how clean the room was, was the kitchenette off to the left and the door opposite of where Rhea was stood that she would hazard to guess led to the bedroom. </p><p>"You sure about this, Rhea?" Edelgard asked, taking a step toward her that put the two of them just at the edge of each other's personal 'bubbles', sat on the border of proper and 'friendly' with enough tension there that you could cut the air with a knife. </p><p>"Do you want me to not be?" Rhea asked. </p><p>"I just want you to be certain." Rhea crosses her arms, her foot tapping on the wood floor. </p><p>"I'm a grown woman. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't certain. But this… Occurrence does not leave this room, understood?" Edelgard’s nose twitched at that, and she looked away before being able to look Rhea in the eye again. </p><p>“Nothing to worry about there. Our dirty little secret. Now, you’re probably going to want to ditch that bag of yours.” Rhea realized that she was right, and moved the bag strap over her head, setting it on the table at the center of the room.</p><p>She felt a finger trace up her spine through her dress as she was bending down to place the bag, only to drop it and shoot up, her spine going stiff as a board as she realized just how close behind her Edelgard was. Her finger traced up to the end of the fabric of Rhea’s dress, only to go higher until they dragged along her neck, finally resting at the base of her hair-bun. “This isn’t going to last very long if I have anything to say about it… May I undo it?” Her breath was distracting against Rhea’s neck, but still the taller woman managed a nod of affirmation. And a moment later, Edelgard’s fingers were brushing her scalp, letting her hair loose from the bun that had contained it, letting it fall down her shoulders. “Pretty.” Edelgard noted, and a moment later Rhea felt her grab onto her shoulder and whirl her around.Then there was a hand on the back of her neck, pulling her down until their lips collided. She nearly stumbled back over the table, but Edelgard’s hand held firm. </p><p>It was strange, kissing another woman. Rhea had kissed someone before, she’d had her occasional boyfriend here and there to keep others from suspecting anything of her. But she’d been happy to use her faith as an excuse to avoid intimacy of the type she was now engaging in with a woman nearly half her age. ‘Waiting until marriage’ is a very long wait when you have no intention of marrying, but even then when she had kissed those men, it never held much substance, it was simply going through the motions.  </p><p>Now, she felt her stomach drop, and her heart act as if it intended to beat itself into oblivion in the confines of her ribcage just from her lips making contact with another woman’s. She pressed herself into Edelgard, and when she felt Edelgard nibble on her lip, the whine it pulled from her throat was pitiful. She felt Edelgard’s hands on her hips, and without breaking their stride she began to guide her toward the bedroom. </p><p>But, Rhea's knees were tantamount to jelly at that point, so she was not what one might call ‘steady on her feet’, and as she tripped over herself, the gentle direction toward the bedroom turned into a much more firm push against the wall separating them from their destination. This meant Rhea was still standing, however her knees became that much more jelly as one of Edelgard’s legs moved between her own, and Rhea fought the urge to grind against the thigh now pressing against her. </p><p>Edelgard bit into her lip, and the gasp that drew from her seemed to be taken as the perfect opportunity for her to then slip her tongue into Rhea’s mouth, just for a moment or two, but that still felt like an eternity for Rhea since she had about as much certainty about what to do in that situation as she had about how to walk into a room while kissing someone. </p><p>Once Edelgard seemed satiated after exploring her mouth, she pulled their lips apart, and Rhea didn’t even have time for the whimper that she felt in the back of her throat to register in her own ears before she felt one of Edelgard’s hands move from her hip to the base of her neck, and soon her fingers were diving into Rhea’s hair, curling at the base of her skull and tugging her head to the side. </p><p>Rhea’s attempt to ask what the hell Edelgard was trying to do was answered before it even left her lips, when teeth dug into the soft skin where her neck met her shoulder, and she was forced to either cling to Edelgard, or fall onto her backside. So, she was left there, arms clutching at the shoulders of her former student as said student bit into her neck like some sort of vampire. Between the friction of her slowly pressing herself against Edelgard’s thigh, and the way Edelgard was sucking at the nape of her neck, a series of utterly shameful moans escape her lips. Still, she had to have some kind of sense. </p><p>“B...be careful. I do have to be presentable in the morning.” Rhea chided, however it’s hard to act authoritative when speaking to someone who is at that point likely the only reason you’re still standing.</p><p>“I’ll try to remember that.” Edelgard muttered, pulling back with an aloof, prideful grin on her lips that were now shamelessly smeared with Rhea’s lipstick. “Lets see about actually making it through the door this time?” </p><p>“Just give me a moment.” Rhea said, embarrassed at the fact she still wasn’t quite oriented again. </p><p>“Awe, knees a little weak there, Professor? How cute.” Edelgard cooed. </p><p>“Q… quiet.” Rhea grumbled, looking away to avoid the smug satisfaction dripping from Edelgard’s grin. Then, she felt lips brush her ear. </p><p>“And if I don’t want to be? What then, Professor?” Then the lips brushing her ear became teeth pinching her earlobe, and Rhea’s moan was anything but quiet. Rhea felt her face go red as she realized just how loud it had been, and that only seemed to goad Edelgard further. “Well aren’t you just adorable… You have such a pretty face.” Edelgard’s finger hooked under her jaw, and her thumb traced the curve of her bottom lip. “I’d love to see how you look sitting on mine.” </p><p>Rhea had no idea how to respond to that, and that seemed to only make Edelgard that much more happy. “I… You… Now that is just… Oh I hate you.” Rhea muttered after finally forfeiting making any real retort to that. </p><p>“I’m sure you do. Do you want to stop then?” </p><p>“I’m still here, am I not?” Rhea said in an impatient huff, having to make a conscious effort to not grind against Edelgard’s leg. </p><p>“Not good enough.” Edelgard grumbled, leaning in and leaving a slow trail of kisses along what was exposed of Rhea’s collar bone, up her neck, along her jaw and to her ear. “I want you to ask, beg me, to take you to bed.” </p><p>“W...what?! Surely you must be joking. I have no intention of doing something so degrading.” Rhea said, not moving to actually disengage at all. </p><p>“That’s quite the proud attitude for a woman who’s been humping my leg so hard she’s left a wet spot.” Edelgard whispered, and Rhea felt her fingers trace along her thigh, right where the dress ended and her skin began. She thought for a minute, letting the decision enter the chaos of her thoughts at that moment, and it was only that much harder to debate herself as she felt Edelgard’s nail slowly drag along her skin, another trail of kisses and bites left along her neck. “All I want is assurance you want to be here… so beg, and I’ll show you a good time your precious ‘goddess’ could never fucking dream of. Or, don’t, and you can go back home, and try to ‘satiate’ yourself, but we both know that if that worked for you, you’d’ve never stepped foot in my bar. So… make your choice.” </p><p>There was a second that passed, and in that second Rhea felt something in her break. Whether it was her will to be righteous, or simply fear of what might happen if she said yes, she didn’t know, and had no time to care. The next words that left her mouth were uttered with more shame than any confession she’d ever given, and yet there was something so freeing in them that she’d never felt in all her years of prayer. </p><p>“Please…” Rhea pleaded. </p><p>“Please…?” Rhea swallowed as Edelgard made it clear that wouldn’t be enough. She leaned forward, letting her lips brush Edelgard’s ear this time, her breath shuddering out of her as she whispered. </p><p>“Please, Edelgard… don’t leave me like this. H...help me.” Rhea begged, and while she’d expected that shameful display of desperation to earn her some vain chuckle or snide comment, instead it seemed to inspire a sort of grim determination in her partner for the evening. </p><p>“Good girl…” Edelgard said in an unfamiliar tone, swinging her arm under Rhea’s legs, hoisting her off of her feet with shocking ease and backing through the doorway before twirling around, letting Rhea drop onto the disheveled, unmade bed. </p><p>Less than a second, and Edelgard was on top of her, and this time Rhea felt much more prepared, her fingers gripping at the fabric of her companion’s jacket, pulling herself deeper into the kiss that followed. Edelgard nibbled her lip again, and Rhea opened her lips eagerly. Perhaps too eagerly, she was still uncertain of exactly how to do anything in this situation ‘well’, but she would rather do something sloppily than nothing well.</p><p> As her and Edelgard’s tongues tangled together messily, Rhea yanked Edelgard’s jacket off of her shoulders, discarding it in a heap on the floor somewhere roughly toward the side of the bed. Edelgard seemed to take well to the encouragement, her hands sliding as slow as hot tar up Rhea’s thighs, bunching up the fabric of her dress, and pushing it under her rear end, pulling it up over her head and shoulders, the loose, flowing white fabric being tossed into a pile atop the desk tucked into the corner of the room. There was some mix of greed and hunger in the way Rhea let her fingers slip under the tight hooded sweatshirt and whatever undershirt Edelgard had beneath it, and there was an unholy joy she received from the shiver it drew out of Edelgard as she let her fingertips drag along her stomach, tearing the clothing off. </p><p>Then, they both seemed to go still, Edelgard kneeling on the bed between her legs, looking down on Rhea as she was left gawking at the woman above her.</p><p> Edelgard’s skin, while it had felt so smooth against her fingers, was a well worn canvas of various tattoos and, what made Rhea pause, scar tissue. There were so many scars, every few inches of skin it seemed one ended and a new one began. Some were thin, surgical, others long and ragged, a few looked like burns, small and circular, and one or two looked as if they were some sort of brand. As her eyes traced up and reconnected with Edelgard’s, she saw her jaw set firm, mouth flat and expressionless, while in her eyes she seemed to be trying her best to hide something among the hunger and lust in her gaze. </p><p>Was that fear? </p><p>“You had your eyeful?” She asked with a monotone, before seeming to let the cocky self-assurance settle back on top, a confident smirk picking up the corners of her as she let her fingers trace along the black lace that lined Rhea’s underwear. “Cus I’m certainly enjoying the sight. But I’m not much to look at, so I figured we ought to move on.” </p><p>Rhea nodded, and then they were right back to it as if they hadn’t paused, as if Rhea hadn’t just seen… The thought was quickly cut off by the mental static that followed Edelgard slipping one bra strap off of her shoulder, and taking one of Rhea’s breasts in her mouth, her tongue slowly circling the nipple before giving it a frustratingly gentle flick. </p><p>Rhea felt her nails dig into the skin of Edelgard’s back, and as she felt teeth pinching her captured nipple, she on a reflex reached to grab Edelgard’s hair like she had hers just moments ago. But before she could disturb a single hair in Edelgard’s braid, her wrist was pinned against the bed above her head. </p><p>"No." Edelgard growled, her teeth still pinching one nipple between them, and Rhea's only response was to whimper again as she felt Edelgard's other hand slip under her bra, taking her other nipple between her fingers. </p><p>As her former student began to unwind her with merciless precision, Rhea felt more and more desperate for some kind of friction between her legs, but it seemed as if Edelgard was doing everything she could to ensure none was available, having her own legs spread, her knees on either side of Rhea’s hips and under her legs, leaving the Professor’s legs resting atop her own with her feet forced to either wrap themselves around Edelgard, or simply dangle pointlessly, Rhea opted for the first, but still she wasn’t able to find any sort of leverage and thus, no relief from what was beginning to feel like a fire in the pit of her stomach that was more and more determined to consume her entirely. Rhea would’ve been content to let it do just that if it meant she could have some damned release. </p><p> </p><p>“G-goddess!” Rhea moaned as she felt her companion’s tongue tease along the underside of her breast before sucking so hard she was certain it would leave a bruise.<br/>
Edelgard broke her mouth away from Rhea’s chest, releasing along with the now well reddened flesh a mirthless chuckle.</p><p> “Always the good church girl, aren’t we, Professor?” She muttered, leaving a slow trail of bites, bruises, and kisses down Rhea’s neck, then her sternum, down the shuddering length of her stomach, and finally tracing the outline of the waistband of her underwear. “What was it you’d always used to say… ‘The goddess doesn’t waste her time on sinners like you’?” Edelgard quoted from one of the many lectures she had been forced to stay after class for. “Then what does that say for you, Professor? Now, you’re just another filthy sinner, just like me? If you were right, then it’s just you and me here. Keep your goddess’s name out of this. The only name I want to hear on your lips is mine. Understood?” Rhea nodded. “Good girl.” </p><p>With that, Rhea felt Edelgard grab under her knee, before biting into Rhea’s thigh inches away from the well dampened lace of her underwear. The feeling of teeth just shy of breaking the skin of her thigh, along with Edelgard sucking on the sore, tender skin sent a wave of near-electric excitement through Rhea, while doing nothing shy of throwing gasoline on the fire inside her. </p><p>“G-ah! E.. Edelgard, please…” </p><p>“Hmmm?” Edelgard asked, pulling away from Rhea’s leg, a thin trail of saliva connecting her bottom lip with the spot she had just been biting. “Please what, Professor?” </p><p>“Please… I can’t stand it anymore.” Rhea clutched at the sheets of the bed as she felt the words pour out of her in shameless desperation. </p><p>“Hmph… So soon? Patience is a virtue, Rhea. I’d expect better from you.” Edelgard chided as she hooked her thumbs under the fabric of Rhea’s panties, adeptly sliding them out from under her, down her thighs, and off of her legs before tossing them aside. “But, who am I to say no to such a beautiful, desperate sinner.” She said, chewing on her bottom lip as she seemed to slide off of the end of the bed, onto her knees before gripping Rhea’s legs beneath the knee, dragging her down to her until she was left, her backside dangling off the edge, supported between her back on the bed, and then her legs as Edelgard set one knee on either of her shoulders, her fingers dragging along her skin until she dug them into Rhea’s backside. </p><p>Even then, it seemed she needed to tease Rhea just a bit longer, her tongue dragging along the crease where thigh meets pelvis, before barely flicking Rhea’s clit with her tongue and slowly tracing along her lips. </p><p>“Edelg-Ah!” As Rhea was beginning to plead more, she felt Edelgard’s tongue delve inside her, exploring every inch of her that her tongue could reach. The room filled with Rhea’s shameless moans as she tore at the mattress for some kind of purchase, her nails tearing through the fabric of the sheets at one point, but she was beyond the point of caring, and Edelgard, if she had any protests to raise, was too preoccupied to voice them. </p><p> </p><p>Down in the bar below, Catherine was cleaning up the glasses from the small pile of drinks that Hilda, Leonie, and Marianne had put away before stumbling out to the cab they’d called. As she was setting the dishes on the rack to dry, she heard steps come up from behind her. </p><p>“Cat, sugar, have you seen Edie? She was supposed to be here to talk about Mercy and Ing’s party, but I can’t find her anywhere. I swear if that dumbass went and got herself shot again I’m not driving her to the hospital this time.” </p><p>“Yeah, don’t worry she’s fine.” Catherine said, looking over her shoulder to Dorothea. She was wearing a red pencil skirt and black crop top underneath a flannel shirt that was tied in a knot just above her bellybutton. Judging from the amount of purple hair dye speckling the shoulders, Catherine would guess the shirt was Petra’s. “She went to class.” Dorothea looked confused. </p><p>“Catherine, I said Edie not Flayn, and it’s one in the morning, no classes are going on right now.” </p><p>“Like I said, she went to class.” Catherine said, and as Dorothea was about to protest more, Catherine raised a slightly pruned finger to silence her. That was when Dorothea heard the faint, muffled sounds coming through the ceiling. </p><p>“El, please, I’m so close-” Came an unfamiliar voice to Dorothea’s ears, and the co-owner of the bar could only groan. </p><p>“For fucks sake… Well, at least she’s actually fucking getting some. I’m pretty sure that girl hasn’t gotten laid since we split up.” Dorothea muttered, playing with a loose curl from the mass of hair flowing down her shoulders. </p><p>“I know, believe me. I'm the poor bitch who has to overhear every new girl that comes in trying to chat her up. I swear, I think she smiled more in the few hours she spent talking to her ‘friend’ at the bar than she has this whole last year.” </p><p>“Huh, well maybe this girl’ll do Edie some good then.” Dorothea said with a shrug. </p><p>“I don’t think she has much interest in hanging around. Closet case from the Academy.” </p><p>“She picked up a fucking schoolgirl? I thought they weren’t her type.” </p><p>“Opposite end of that equation, boss.” Dorothea seemed to do the math and shrug. </p><p>“Well, good for her then I guess. Just turn up the speakers so no one else has to hear that shit.” Dorothea said with a shrug, turning to walk back out to the main area, pausing for just a second to look at Catherine. “This woman… can you tell me what her hair looked like?” </p><p>“Uhhhh, sure? It was like, teal? Maybe seafoam would be better. Kinda like Flayn’s, but a bit paler.” Catherine said, and Dorothea looked shocked. </p><p>“Oh for goddess’s sake…” Dorothea muttered to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Edie what the hell have you gotten yourself into…” </p><p>“Everything ok?” </p><p>“I guess we’ll just have to see…” Dorothea said, walking away after a quick ‘thank you’.</p><p> </p><p>Edelgard’s hands seemed intent to explore every inch of Rhea while her tongue lapped against her clit, each motion pushing her closer and closer to an edge she felt so desperate to carean off of, but just couldn’t seem to get to. There was never a hand missing from her backside, but at any time one hand was roaming up and down her thighs, across her stomach, painfully close to her nipple while only ever occasionally doing anything with them. Rhea clutched her thighs tight around Edelgard’s head as she tried to grind against her tongue, but at each attempt Edelgard seemed to slow her motions as if to draw it out even longer. </p><p>She seemed to revel in the slow, methodical attack that she was enacting, each minute making Rhea unravel more and more, losing more and more of the shame in the back of her mind, as if it were burning away along with everything else in the fire building inside her, all of it centering on and building out from the tip of Edelgard’s tongue, as if she were simply breathing that unholy flame into her. </p><p>“Edelgard, please, please!” Rhea prayed as she felt the tongue against her give an especially firm, drawn out lick. </p><p>“El.” Rhea heard her partner say from between her legs. “Call me El, and I’ll let you cum.” </p><p>“El, please, I’m so close- Ah!” The second Edelgard seemed to process that Rhea had done as she was told, it was as if hell had broken free, as her tongue finally gave in to everything Rhea had been begging for. Where once she felt like she’d never find relief, she now felt the pressure and heat inside her building faster then she could process, and as Edelgard’s tongue swirled around her clit and finally drove her over that edge, Rhea moaned out ‘El’ with every ounce of breath she had left in her lungs, how little it was, as she clenched her legs so tight around her partner’s head that were she in any sort of sane state of mind, she might’ve worried would crack a bone. </p><p>However long passed between when she finally came and the moment Edelgard began crawling out from between her legs, lifting her higher in the bed so as to make sure she wasn’t dangling off the end or falling onto the floor, Rhea wasn’t sure. She took a moment, brushing the mass of hair that had clung to Rhea’s sweat-slicked forehead away, before collapsing into the bed beside her. </p><p>If asked why she turned over and draped an arm over Edelgard, Rhea would’ve probably made some half-assed excuse along the lines of ‘it was cold’. But, Edelgard didn’t ask. She simply let Rhea hold her and rest her head on her shoulder. </p><p>They stayed there for a while, at the time it felt like minutes, but Rhea would later realize it was hours. At some point, Edelgard’s fingers found their way to Rhea’s hair, first twirling a loose strand around her finger, then just toying with the bulk of it, and eventually massaging Rhea’s scalp in a way that seemed so pleasant Rhea couldn’t help but close her eyes and revel in it while it lasted. Eventually Rhea’s fingers began to explore what was still exposed of Edelgard, as she still was wearing her pants and even the boots she’d been wearing. But, Rhea traced the lines and patterns of her scars. She realized that they were only on her chest, and that even the massive, jagged burn scar at the center of her sternum, none of her scars would’ve been visible while wearing any sort of clothing appropriate for being in public. As if it were intentional. </p><p>Then Rhea traced a scar that made her stop. </p><p>“Is this… were you shot?” Rhea asked before she could stop herself. </p><p>“Hmph, no, that one’s just a really intricate tattoo.” Edelgard lied, or was it meant to be a joke?</p><p>“El…” </p><p>“Drop it, Professor.” However, if Rhea wasn’t in the mood to listen to the part of her that said not to go to that bar in the first place, why would she listen to the part of her telling her to let good enough lie? </p><p>“How did it happen?” Rhea asked, and the worry in her voice seemed as much as surprise to Edelgard as it was to her. </p><p>“I own and live above the only gay bar in Firdhiad. How the fuck do you think? That’s not just for show you know.” Rhea was confused as to what ‘that’ was in reference to, until she followed the direction Edelgard had pointed, seeing the shotgun leaned against the corner of the room. Rhea hadn’t noticed it before, although now that she thought about it why would she? </p><p>“You were shot here?” Rhea asked, and Edelgard groaned, sitting up onto the side of the bed, and Rhea felt the cold settling in where she had been like a ghost grazing her skin. </p><p>All Rhea could see of El’s back was just as torn apart as her chest had been. Long and short, thick and thin, small and large, everything was either scars or ink. Across her shoulder blades, Rhea reached to trace the bottom of the tattoo of the Adrestian Eagle, the proudly raised heads of the noble bird seeming stark in contrast to the slump in Edelgard’s shoulders. However she pulled back just before the touch connected.  </p><p>“... It was a break-in last year.” Edelgard said, scratching at her scalp, a few strands of her silver hair coming loose from the braid. </p><p>Rhea inched closer, setting a hand on Edelgard's shoulder. "I'm glad that you made it out alive after something like that." </p><p>“Hmph,I gave as good as I got. Better, even. I walked away. Him… not so much." Rhea was shocked at just how cavalier someone could be about taking another life.</p><p>"Do you… do you want to talk about it?"</p><p> " There isn't much to talk about. Just a couple of ‘good old boy’ types… I guess they wanted to torch the place when it was closed. I don't know, didn’t ask. But one of them came loaded, and I just lit my shit of a half second later than him.” Edelgard stood up, walking to the desk, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of one drawer, drawing one out and lighting it as Rhea was left stunned silent by such a cavalier attitude with nearly dying. </p><p>“Wh… why would you stay here after something like that?” Rhea asked, and the scoff that Edelgard let loose after that made her flinch. </p><p>“Because, this place means something to women like us. Dr, well… oh fuck it, women like me, if you’re still not ready to face that truth. But it means something. Here, none of us have to be afraid of that kind of shit. I wasn’t kidding when I said there’s no goddess here. Just people, people who love eachother, or just love not feeling so alone. If I left, who’d take this place over? Who'd make sure that this place was safe? Where would scared little baby dykes go when they start to realize maybe there’s a reason they like their best friends more then any dude they’ve ever tried to act like they can stand? This place was here for me when I needed it most, and I’m going to make damn well sure it’s here for the next girl that needs it too. If I can make this world just a little better, just a little safer for a couple of people… that's worth it. All of it."</p><p>"I do wish you wouldn't have such a laxidasical attitude toward dying… but suppose I can understand that… I think that's a very noble goal." Rhea mumbled, trying her best to hide the shame bubbling inside her. She'd spent years hiding for fear of the things Edelgard seemed intent to stare down and dare to try and touch her. </p><p>"Yeah we'll be careful before you get too high an opinion  of me. It's easy to be noble when you have no other choice. Besides, where the hell else could I go? I sunk every dime I had into this place.” </p><p>“But, your family?” The Hresvelgs were one of the most powerful families in Fodlan, even in Faerghus, they had more influence in the church than most anyone. </p><p>“Yeah, they cut me off from the fucking dragon’s horde they call a fortune about the same time they realized this shit wasn’t going to work.” Edelgard gestured to the scars, finishing the cigarette and tossing the cherry into an ashtray nearby, proceeding to light a second.</p><p>"But how could you afford to buy this place?"</p><p> “I was smart. Like I said before, it wasn't exactly pricey, and I had squirrelled away every cent I could for damn near a decade. By the time I got out, I had just enough to buy this place when Dodo helped.” </p><p>"Oh… I suppose that makes sense " Rhea mumbled, toying with her fingers as Edelgard sat against her desk. The foot or two between them felt like miles. Finally the silence became too loud, and Rhea knew she had to say something. “I… what happened to you, El?” In all honesty even she knew she should've said something better than that.</p><p>Edelgard scowled, and looked as if she intended to shout some obscenity at Rhea for even asking, but as quickly as it came, it seemed to pass, and the slump in her shoulders returned. “You’d be amazed the kind of shit a rich family can get away with enough money… Especially when they realize Catholic school isn’t going to make their kid any less of a fucking carpet muncher…” She laughed, but there was no humor in it. All there was was the empty scraps of a sob too proud to be let loose. “In retrospect, getting caught fucking your TA probably was the final nail in that coffin…" </p><p>"You slept with Byleth?!" Rhea asked, utterly shocked at both the fact it had happened and the fact she had no idea. </p><p>"You didn't know about that?" Rhea shook her head. "... Well what can I say, I guess I just have a weakness for older women with green hair… But yeah. That shithead Hanneman walked in on us, and a week after that, some fucking prick has me strapped to a chair, zapping the shit out of me with electrodes while some of the most fucking boring, tasteless lesbian porn I’d ever fucking watched blasted around me. When that didn’t work, they tried carving me up like a turkey, when that didn’t work, they got tired of trying to be creative, broke out the cigarettes and branding irons. The only reason I got out was because the dumb fucks left an iron too close to the straps on the chair. I punched the smug old prick Solon in the head so hard I probably broke his eye socket, and ran like hell. The ladies here let me stay in this loft… and a few years later I was the owner.” </p><p>Rhea was stunned, looking at someone who had in an instant gone from a charismatic, confident young woman that seemed to know just what to say to drive her insane, to a tired, scared girl left in a world that had wanted nothing to do with her, and instead of fleeing from it had spent the time since trying her best to protect the little island she’d created to let others feel safety that seemed so foreign to her. </p><p>“Can I ask you something Pro-... Rhea?” </p><p>“Of course, El.” Rhea said, scooting up the side of the bed to sit closer to Edelgard. </p><p>“Did anyone even notice when I disappeared from your class?” Edelgard asked, and the tears that trickled down the sides of her cheek made Rhea’s heart shatter. “Did you? Did you even fucking care?”</p><p>“El…” Rhea tried to find the words. Of course, she’d noticed. There was a part of her that had always noticed Edelgard when she’d been in her class. Maybe that was what had driven her to hold her after class so often. Maybe she had just wanted to spend the extra time with her. </p><p>Rhea knew she enjoyed the more ‘corporal’ aspects of her and Edelgard’s interactions far more than she should have, and perhaps that only made it worse because between having been her student, and a woman, whatever feelings she’d had for Edelgard broke every taboo she had believed in and every high ideal she held of herself as a woman of the goddess. When Edelgard had left, it had broken Rhea’s heart, but now she was ashamed to admit there had been relief at the time, relief from temptation, but still sorrow at its absence. </p><p>Rhea’s words failed her, and so she did the next thing she could think of. She stood from the edge of the bed, moving to close the gap between them. Edelgard’s cigarette fell into the ashtray as Rhea wrapped her arms around Edelgard, and in an instant the walls were shattered, and Edelgard clung to her for dear life,arms around her, clutching her shoulder and back, face buried in her neck as she sobbed. Rhea let her cry, running her fingers over and through Edelgard’s hair, her braid falling apart slowly but surely. “Of course I noticed, El.” Rhea assured, only making the woman sob harder. “I noticed more than I should have… I missed you in a way that was beyond improper for a teacher to miss a student… Everything I felt for you then was improper for a teacher to feel toward a student.” The last piece drew another soulless laugh from Edelgard, this one bitter, wrathful. </p><p>“Well, at least it wasn’t just me then…” Edelgard let her head rest on Rhea’s shoulder. “Do you want to know the saddest fucking part? I probably only made it out of there because of you. Even at your worst, you were kinder to me than anyone else… and I would think back to some of our ‘after class lessons’ when I thought they were getting close to breaking me, and it made it easier to keep going. How fucking pittiful is that?” </p><p>“You did what you needed to do… I’m sorry I couldn’t have been kinder to you then… I never meant to become that… I never wanted to be so cruel… so afraid. It was easier to hide than risk the wrath of the church, and then it became easier to hate girls like you that were braver than me than admit that I was jealous of you. And then it just spiraled worse and worse.” Rhea mumbled, lips a few inches from Edelgard’s ear. “I don’t know who I am anymore.” </p><p>“Who do you want to be?” Edelgard asked, pulling her head up, looking Rhea in the eye. Her cheeks were red and puffy, her eyes bloodshot to hell, but there was a glint of hope where before Rhea had seen none. </p><p>“I don’t know…” The both of them were shocked from the conversation by the blaring of a phone alarm, and Edelgard reached over, pulling a beat-to-hell old phone out of a drawer in the desk to reveal in bright letters: </p><p>‘3 AM: Close the Bar Fucknuts’ </p><p>“Oh dear… is it really so late?” Rhea asked. “I have work in four hours.” </p><p>“You should go.” Edelgard said, releasing Rhea from her grip, and both of them felt the absence of each other as they moved to dress, taking another few minutes to actually find all the discarded clothing. Edelgard slipped her tanktop on, and then her hoody. Rhea pulled herself together, slipping her clothes back on, before Edelgard walked her into the next room to collect her bag. She led Rhea to the door, and they paused there, looking at each other. “Thanks. For tonight.” </p><p>“Thank you… I really am sorry.” </p><p>“Don’t be. We all made our choices, they can’t be changed.” Edelgard said, crossing her arms and leaning against the door frame. </p><p>“No, they can’t… but we can.” Rhea looked away. “Goodbye, El.” </p><p>“Goodbye, Rhea.” Edelgard said, and then the door was closed. Rhea paused, and for a second she wanted to move, to knock on the door. Why, she had no idea, but the moment passed, and she made her way down the stairs, clinging to the guardrail as her knees still felt rather gelatinous.</p><p>She reached the door into the bar, and pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail, hoping to hold onto at least some kind of dignity as she stepped out into the bar to see that it was empty, save for Catherine, Shamir, and a third woman Rhea didn’t recognize with curly brown hair and a purple stained flannel. </p><p>The look the woman with the flannel gave her as she stepped out of the stairwell made Rhea shrink into herself. It was protective and surgical, as if the woman was trying to disect her on the spot with nothing but her eyes. </p><p>“Anything to drink before you go, Rhea? I got some soda if you’re going to be driving.” Catherine asked, sat on the bar with a glass of whiskey in her hand. </p><p>“N..no thank you, Catherine. I’m just going to go…” Rhea turned to leave, and then she heard the new woman speak. </p><p>“Hey.” She called, and Rhea knew it was directed at her. “Did you pay your tab?” </p><p>“Dorie, I told you she was drinking on-” </p><p>“Shut up Catherine.” Dorothea whispered through grit teeth, making the bartender raise her hands in surrender. “Well, did you?” </p><p>“I… I hadn’t. El said that she was going to have them put on her tab.” Before she finished talking, she began pulling her wallet from her bag, not noticing the curious, almost impressed look that Dorothea wore hearing Rhea refer to Edelgard as ‘El’. She pulled a few bills from her wallet, walking to the bar and setting it on the counter between Shamir and Dorothea. “Keep whatever change there is for a tip… there should be plenty there.” Dorothea picked up the bills, flipping through them almost painfully slow before shrugging, handing the money back to Rhea. </p><p>“Never mind. If Edie is going to cover you, that’s her choice. Have a nice night miss…?” Rhea realized what was being asked. </p><p>“Seiros. Rhea Seiros.” She said, confused but taking the money back. </p><p>“Well, have a nice night Miss Seiros. Drive safe, and don’t forget your flannel next time. Oh, and might I recommend really stopping to breathe on your way out? Nothing better to wake you up for a drive home then a lung full of cold Faerghan air.” Dorothea said. Rhea muttered some non-answer, and turned to leave, confused beyond all regard as she walked out of the bar. As she stepped out of the door, hearing it clatter shut behind her, the cold of the night struck her like a freight train, and it wasn’t until she reached the end of the porch that she thought about the woman’s strange advice. </p><p>It had already been a weird enough evening. So Rhea stopped, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath of the cold night air. It felt like electricity flowing through her, making the hair on her neck stand on end. It was lovely. </p><p> </p><p>“Thea, what the fuck was that? I told you she was drinking on Edelgard’s tab three times tonight.” Catherine asked, looking at one of her two bosses, who was simply sipping on a glass of cheap red wine. </p><p>“I just needed to buy a few minutes for that stubborn bitch. Of course I knew she was drinking on her dime, just like I knew that she wouldn’t be staying the night. Just like I know that Edelgard was probably kicking herself for not offering to let her stay about,” Dorothea looked at her watch. “Oh two minutes ago. I just needed to waste some of that lady's time so that she wouldn't drive off before Edelgard comes busting through that door in three, two…” Dorothea pointed to the door to the stairwell, and after a breath it was thrown open, and Edelgard stumbled over herself, still wearing nothing for a shirt except for a tank top. </p><p>“Damn, that’s impressive.” Shamir muttered into her beer. </p><p>“No, she’s just as predictable as she is stubborn. I’ve known her for 5 years, you learn these kinds of things.” Dorothea said with a shrug. “Edie!” </p><p>“WHAT?!” Edelgard asks, wheeling around and looking at Dorothea impatiently. </p><p>“Might wanna…” Dorothea gestured to her own chest, and Edelgard looked down at herself to see, well, that her tank top had not exactly done the best at remaining ‘modest’ during her rush down the stairs. </p><p>“Fuck! Thanks Dodo.” Edelgard shouts, pulling her shirt back into place as she slammed through the front door, scaring the living daylights out of Rhea, who was still standing at the end of the porch. “Rhea…” Edelgard says, suddenly losing all of the confidence that led her to run down in the first place. </p><p>“Y...Yes? Is everything ok, El?” Rhea asked, and had it not been the hope in her voice at that moment, Edelgard might have simply made some excuse to walk back inside. But, some faint part of her wanted to believe that she was making the smart choice, so Edelgard held out the jacket she’d been wearing earlier, the faux fur lining and heavy plaid pattern looking like an amorphous mass in the dark of the night. </p><p>“I um… It’s cold. I thought you might need a jacket for the drive back… Plus, I mean… If you ever wanted to come back, Shamir wouldn’t be able to give you a hard time again.” Edelgard said, stumbling over her words like some awestruck teenager. “If you want it, of course. I don’t know, your car probably has a heater or whatever, I just thought-” </p><p>“Thank you, El.” Rhea said, taking the jacket from her, and for reasons that would avoid her for quite some time, stepping forward and placing a kiss on her cheek. “I appreciate the gesture... Thank you for tonight.” </p><p>“Of course.” Edelgard let out a quiet, awkward, genuine laugh. “It was… it was my pleasure… I’ll see you next time?” </p><p>“Of course.” Rhea said, walking toward her car, taking a moment as she walked to drape the jacket over her shoulders. Settling into the driver's seat, she took another deep breath as the car warmed up, catching the faint whiff of cheap cologne, cigarettes, and boot polish. It took her a moment to realize it was coming from her new item of clothing, and another moment to realize that, for some ungodly reason, that scent made her heart flutter. </p><p> </p><p>Edelgard watched the silver sedan pull out of the parking lot, and the smile that graced her lips, for once, came easy to her. She stepped back through the front door, taking a moment to lock it as she turned and waved goodnight to the others. She walked up the stairs to her loft, locking her door behind her, pausing to set the deadbolt and chain lock, before finally adding the door jam underneath the doorknob, before moving to her room, grabbing one of the few blankets that wasn’t going to need a run through the laundromat in the morning, and the gun from the wall. She walked to her couch, tossing the blanket onto her bed for the night before setting the gun just under the sofa so that it was positioned just like it was whenever she went to sleep in her bed, perfectly in reach, but not in the way. </p><p>She settled into her accommodations for the night, grinning from ear to ear as she felt herself drift off to sleep. </p><p>All she could think of was those two words that had changed in their farewell… "Next time" Edelgard whispered to herself as sleep overtook her.</p><p> </p><p>That next morning, Rhea was tantamount to dead to the world. Her students spent most of the day working on assignments not due for several months, and when Setith came in to check on her, he didn’t even seem to comment on how the scarf around her neck violated the uniform. He did ask her where the jacket draped over her chair had come from, but when she simply said she had found it at the local thrift shop, he didn’t push any farther, beyond warning that ‘that young Gonneral woman has been seen with some less-than-reputable individuals’ and that it might ‘behoove’ her to avoid patronizing that sort of establishment. </p><p>But, eventually the day ended, and she resolved to allow the few hours between the end of classes at 4 pm and the time of her departure at 6:30 to pass while she finished up some paperwork. Which, of course, meant sitting at her desk pretending to do paperwork as she had all day, but now allowed to actually wear her jacket, and occasionally, when she began to feel her nerves building about her plans for the evening, taking a deep breath and finding comfort in the familiar scent of polish, cologne, and cigarettes. She never thought such things could bring her any sort of feeling of comfort… but then again, this time the day before she hadn’t thought many things. </p><p>At half-past-six, Rhea stood from her desk, went to her car, and drove the nearly forty five minutes it took her to approach the outskirts of Firdhiad. Another twenty minutes, and she’d arrive at home. </p><p>But, instead, she checked her rear view mirror to ensure she was alone on the road and, as soon as that was assured, she turned into the parking lot, the early sunset giving a vibrant purple and red backdrop to the faded Neon sign marking her destination. </p><p>“Flannel Required”, the well-worn neon sign that stood out on the side of the road leading out of the city proclaimed the establishment’s name to be. And Rhea let her fingers toy with the edges of her jacket, and smiled as she stepped out of her car. </p><p>Shamir didn’t even stop her to check her ID that time. </p><p>Rhea sat at the bar, and while Catherine made her a drink, she began to wonder about if she should come up with some excuse in case anyone did see her pull into the parking lot. </p><p>She supposed she could just lie and say it wasn't her, but something like that could be easily disproven with a simple photo. </p><p>Rhea picked up the glass and went to take a drink as she pondered more. Well, she thought, she could always say she was there preaching to try and convert the others and 'save their souls'. Noone would even think to question someone like her saying they were trying to turn others to the goddess. She would just be following in her mother's footsteps. </p><p>Rhea went still as a thought crossed her mind. Was that exactly what she was doing?</p><p>"Motherfu-"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Spring</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“... Rhea, It’s really not that big of a deal.” </p><p>“But it is!” Rhea exclaimed. “I told you we could go out for your birthday and then I said no at the very last second. I should’ve never promised you something like that.” Rhea didn’t notice the twitch of disappointment in Edelgard’s face at that as she kept speaking. “I’m sorry. I just… being with you these past few months has been wonderful, and I just wanted to do something to show you I love you, but I just couldn’t go through and I’m-” Rhea looked up to see Edelgard staring at her, jaw agape, and it took her a moment to process exactly what words had slipped from her mouth. “El, I-” </p><p>“Get out.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>That's right, we're back! I told y'all there was more to come from this project, and while I'm sad it took me so long to get it posted, I'm very excited to see everyone's reactions to this segment! There's a fun game I snuck in with quite a few references to lesbian/wlw music, media and other things, so I'm excited to see if anyone can spot all of them. Some of them are more blatant than others. </p><p>Forwarning: This chapter gets into some messy territory with regards to kinks. There's 'mommy kink' content during the smut scene toward the very end of the chapter, and if that ain't your back, that's totally valid. You should be able to skip the scene just fine, looking for the three line break at the end of the segment.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Manuela hears the knock on her door, standing from the plush recliner she always occupied during sessions to fetch her client for the hour. </p><p>“Good afternoon, Miss Hresvelg.” She greets as she opens the door, and sees a familiar young woman who, between the black fatigue style pants, messy white hair, and the faded tanktop, looks like she's been dragged through hell a few dozen times. </p><p>“Please don’t call me that.” Edelgard says. Manuela can smell the liquor still lingering on her breath, likely from the night before by the way she’s carrying herself. “Edelgard is fine.” </p><p>“Well, Edelgard, come, sit.” Manuela gestures to the couch opposite her recliner, as well as the chair beside it. She found that a choice of seats made most of her clients more comfortable sitting in the first place. Edelgard took the couch, dropping like a lead weight onto the cushion, sitting forward and pulling the thick shaded glasses off, her eyes flinching from the light pouring in from Manuela’s office windows. Manuela takes her seat, kicking her shoes off and curling her legs up underneath her. The way Edelgard had always carried herself, Manuela knew she needed this to feel as casual as possible, and little gestures like that could go a long way in relieving the tension of a room. “Now, I know this is likely a bit awkward, but I want to assure you, nothing you say to me leaves this room. I know quite a bit of your story, but if there's anything you want to start with, don't hesitate to say it. I can promise it’s nothing I haven’t heard of before.” </p><p>That makes Edelgard chuckle, but there was a lack of humor to it, the sound coming out short, terse and bitter. </p><p>“I think I might just throw a wrench in that, but… I don’t know, this is all kinda… weird to me. You know, coming to you.” Edelgard says, gesturing to Manuela. </p><p>“Because of my connection to Dorothea?” Manuela asked, looking over the thick frame of her glasses at the woman who, some years prior, she had thought might one day become her daughter in law. </p><p>“Because you’re a shrink.” Edelgard clarifies. </p><p>“Dear, I’m a psychiatrist, not a ‘shrink’.” </p><p>“Sorry, my bad…” Edelgard mutters, her eyes seeming to find something rather interesting in the pattern of the floor. Manuela takes a moment to observe the woman before her and see just what she could gather, when Edelgard seems to find the silence too awkward and breaks it. “I um… if there's any possibility, I'd like to make sure that whatever records are kept of these types of things, nobody accesses it. If there can be no record at all, all the better." </p><p>“Nothing leaves this room, Edelgard. Not unless I find reason to believe you’re a threat to yourself or others.” That seems to draw another bitter chuckle from the woman, which made Manuela quirk a brow. But Edelgard either doesn’t notice or refuses to acknowledge it. “But, besides that, your privacy is assured by the law as well as my own policy.” </p><p>“Ok. That’s good.” Edelgard says, chewing her cheek. </p><p>“Is there a particular reason you're so concerned around privacy?" Manuela asks. </p><p>"Plenty. Most of them tying back to the fucking hell hole I used to call my family." </p><p>"I see. Have you had some recent contact with your family to make you feel especially on edge about them seeking out your records?" </p><p>"No, thankfully. Not besides my sister. But she doesn't count." Edelgard leans back into the couch cushion, and Manuela sees an avenue to open a better line of communication. </p><p>"I see. So you at least have some people you trust. That's good. Isolation can take a heavy toll on a person." </p><p>"Yeah, I mean I'm not some kind of fucking hermit. I just don't trust easy… most of the time." Edelgard looks a bit nervous, so Manuela tries to let her address that point in her own time. </p><p>"So there is your sister, and I'm assuming Dorothea is still in your good graces, who else?" </p><p> "Catherine. Her and her wife have been there for me since Dema introduced us after she came out." Manuela nods along. Indeed, the youngest, and only, daughter of the Charon family had been a client of hers since she began tiptoeing around the idea of her transition over a decade ago in her mid-teens.  </p><p>“I see. So, you are on good terms then?” Manuela asked. </p><p>“I mean, yeah. She’s a coworker of mine at the bar, and as much shit as we each give and take… I know I can trust her when the chips are down.” </p><p>“That’s good. So why did you decide to come and see me now?” Manuela asked, as casually as she could. </p><p>“Dorothea gave me the lecture of a lifetime, and Catherine told me if I didn't listen to her she was going to cut me off from drinks, and I figured… maybe her and Dorothea had talked some sense." </p><p>"That seems like a rather interesting motivation. How often do you drink?"</p><p>"I mean I work at and live above a fucking bar, what else is there to do in my free time?" Manuela looks at her and raised a brow, that answer wasn't going to cut it. "... I have a few drinks socially most nights. I don't drink a lot unless it's been a rough day." Manuela nods, and figures that was something they'd have to approach later on. </p><p>"So, what happened that was so out of the usual that Dorothea decided to step in and Catherine deemed it appropriate to threaten her own employer?" That made Edelgard visibly uncomfortable, scratching at the back of her head. </p><p>  "… I fucked up. Bad.” Edelgard says after a long pause. Manuela lets her sit with her thoughts, and eventually she continues. “I… I was seeing this woman for about two months. Nothing too serious… I mean, after a week or two I let her leave some clothes in a pair of drawers in my dresser. I wasn’t using them for anything but you know, clothes and shit that could really go anywhere so it wasn’t a big deal. But she was staying over a lot, and so it just made sense, you know?” Manuela was going to comment on that being rather fast for the two of them, but given the demographic she knew that Edelgard belonged to, waiting two weeks for that sort of thing was practically ‘taking it slow’. </p><p>“Seems like you two got along very well.” Manuela says,trying to nudge Edelgard to continue. Edelgard shrugged. </p><p>“Yeah. Better than I expected, honestly. But um, I guess that’s not really a thing anymore.” Edelgard drags her hands down her face, refusing to meet Manuela’s eyes. </p><p>“How do you mean?” </p><p>“... She told me she loved me last night.” Edelgard’s voice is a whisper and the corner of her lips, for just a second, peek into a smile before crashing back down. </p><p>“That seems like a very big step from where you two had been before.” Manuela sees Edelgard nod. </p><p>“Yeah…” </p><p>“How did you respond?” Manuela asks. </p><p>“... I told her to get the fuck out of my apartment.” Edelgard’s shame drips from her every word as they finally escape her lips. Manuela nods, and tries to choose her next words carefully. </p><p>“Do you regret that decision?” She finally settles on. </p><p>“Every second since… But I guess sometimes that’s just how it is. The right choice isn’t the easy one.” Edelgard says with such glib certainty. “I… Maybe I should start from the begining with all this.“</p><p>“If that’s what feels right to you.” </p><p>“Well… It all started with this T.A when I was in college...” </p><p> </p><p>36 hours prior. </p><p>Rhea’s morning began, as they had frequently the last few months, with her feeling the arm draped over her midsection clench around her, one of the many small jerky movements that Edelgard often made when she slept. She tended to toss and turn quite a bit at night, but somehow, when morning came her arm was always right back around her. Rhea found a strange comfort in that. </p><p>A while after that squeeze, Rhea’s phone buzzed, the alarm starting to ring out it’s tinny little tune while she reached over to turn it off. Whether from Rhea’s moving, or the alarm, Edelgard snapped awake and let go of Rhea, letting her get to her phone and finally silence the by now blaring reminder to wake up. </p><p>By the time Rhea silenced her phone and collapsed back onto the bed, Edelgard was back to her half-asleep state, she was either snapped to attention, or exhausted most mornings, no in between.  She muttered something vaguely decipherable as a morning greeting, along with ‘Ray of Sunshine’, a nickname Edelgard had taken up for her some time ago that had started a bit sarcastic, but now saw rather regular use, either fully, or with ‘Ray’. </p><p>“Good morning to you too.” Rhea said as she sat up. </p><p>“Why the fuck do you wake up so early?” Edelgard muttered, now actually somewhat comprehensible even as she buried her face in the pillow. </p><p>“Because, unlike some people, not all of us have a job that lets us sleep in until noon.” Rhea slid the old “Black Eagles Softball” tank top Edelgard had given her to use as pajamas off, and tossed it at the groggy woman still in bed. “Are you going to shower this morning?”</p><p>“Yeah, I was planning on it.” Edelgard mumbled, finally sitting up in the bed, dragging her hands down her face trying to wipe the sleep away. </p><p>“Do you want to go first or second?” Rhea asked, walking over to Edelgard’s dresser, pulling the top drawer open, grabbing a few articles of clothing that felt appropriate for a friday at the academy. </p><p>“Yes.” Rhea looked at the younger woman, confused until she saw the half asleep smirk on her face. She could only roll her eyes. </p><p>“At least start the coffee pot before you join, you lecher.” </p><p>“Way ahead of you, Ray.” Edelgard said, standing up and walking toward the small kitchenette as Rhea made her way to the bathroom, although she did pause for just a second while Edelgard’s back was to her. She had a pair of black sweat pants that cinched at the ankles hung loose around her hips, while all she wore on top was a sports bra, the fabric covering the majority of the Adrestian Eagle on her back, but leaving one tattoo uncovered. It was a white porcelain mask, streaked with red in several areas with black eyes and piercing red pupils. It felt sometimes, when Edelgard walked around without a shirt, as if those eyes were watching her warily whenever Edelgard had her back to her. However, while that tattoo was unsettling, watching Edelgard’s muscles shift under her skin as she went through the motions of preparing the coffee was rather distracting, and for a moment Rhea debated sauntering over and delaying their morning routine by- “You’re not as subtle as you think, Ray.” Rhea snapped out of her thoughts as Edelgard looked over her shoulder with a wink, a slightly more awake smirk now marking her lips. “Who’s the lecher now?” </p><p>Rhea rolled her eyes. “Still you, you just happen to be a rather attractive one. Now hurry up or you’ll be showering alone.” Rhea said as she finally went into the bathroom. </p><p>“My ass I will, little miss ‘half hour showers’.” Edelgard muttered to herself, pressing the power button on the coffee pot. Rhea rolled her eyes as the door closed behind her, turning water on in the shower and letting it heat up as she stripped off what remained of her clothes. There admittedly weren’t all that many, just her underwear and a pair of shorts, Edelgard’s old tanktop having been weaponized as it was earlier, so it wasn’t a surprise to her when the water still needed another minute to warm up. It always did. </p><p>Every morning, Rhea swore it took just a little while longer to warm up, but it at least had strong water pressure, and considering how often Rhea was at least a little sore on the mornings after she stayed over, that was a gift from the goddess herself. </p><p>Finally, Rhea stepped into the water, and the steam already starting to collect in the small, cramped bathroom felt angelic as she breathed it in. The water trickled down her back, over a few several-day-old bruises and a pair of fresh bite marks around her thighs, and washed away the remnants of sleep that had held on so tightly. She grabbed the small green loofa off of the basket hung from Edelgard’s showerhead, dabbing it with a spritz of chamomile body wash, and began cleaning herself. Everything involved in that process had popped up about a week after Rhea had started staying over, when she’d teased Edelgard about her entire shower containing nothing but a massive tub of deep conditioning hair mask, shampoo, and an ungodly large container of Old Spice. Rhea had to admit, she was flattered that Edelgard had remembered her favorite tea, although admittedly she preferred drinking it to smelling like it, but it’s the thought that counts. </p><p>“Babe, scoot over.” Edelgard mumbled as she stepped in behind Rhea, making the already small shower just that much more cramped, although at least they didn’t have to fight over who stood in front of the shower head. </p><p>“I’m as far over as I could possibly get unless you think it possible for me to step through the wall.” Rhea said, feeling Edelgard’s hands on her hips, pulling her closer. </p><p>“Fine, then scoot over here.” Edelgard murmured, her chin rested on Rhea’s shoulder as her arms wrapped around her midsection, and her lips teased her neck. </p><p>“Hmmmm, now that I think is an option.” Rhea hummed as she pressed back against Edelgard. </p><p>“Need a little help getting cleaned up?”</p><p>Rhea chuckled and turned around to face her companion in the cramped shower. “Why do I have a sneaking suspicion that’s the exact opposite of your intentions, babygirl?” </p><p>“Maybe you’re just projecting. I had only the purest of intentions.” Edelgard offered, feigned innocence radiating from her grin as she oh so casually grabbed her body wash and began pouring a dollop onto a washcloth. “Although, I will say I love it when you call me ‘babygirl’ in that tone of voice.” Rhea blushed, hoping it would be masked at least a little as her reacting to the warmth of the steam. </p><p>“Is that so?” Rhea offered, her hand finding its way to Edelgard’s hip, her finger inching farther and farther down. “Well, why don’t you be honest with me about your ‘intentions’ and maybe I'll-” as Rhea spoke, her finger traced along the inside of Edelgard’s leg, only for Edelgard to grab her by the wrist, stopping her in her tracks. </p><p>“We should hurry and finish up soon.” Edelgard said, her voice having lost the playfulness and flirty nature it had held seconds prior. “Don’t want to make you late for work again, now do we?” Edelgard clarified, a teasing smile on her cheeks, but something about it stopped before it ever reached her eyes. </p><p>“No… I suppose we don’t.” Rhea said, feeling as if she’s crossed some boundary. Edelgard let go of her wrist, and Rhea turned to the faucet again, starting to wash her hair as Edelgard washed up with her rag. </p><p>Rhea got out of the shower and dressed herself rather quickly, tights, a long navy blue pencil skirt, a white blouse and black flats. It was a simple enough outfit, and more comfortable then some of the things she used to wear. She’d admit, as of late she found herself becoming more lax around her wardrobe. It was freeing, to not care as much of what the outside world saw her as. She walked over to the coffee pot, which was full of piping hot brew, and grabbed the two mugs hanging from two small hooks attached above Edelgard’s sink. One of the two, Rhea’s favorite mug she had brought from her home, had a small floral pattern over it, while the other, Edelgard’s personal favorite, was shaped to look like a little tree stump, the handle made to look like an axe embedded in the side of it. Rhea had bought it for Edelgard because she assumed that, with all the massive purple flags emblazoned with white axes strewn about the bar’s decorations, she must have some affinity for the tool.</p><p>However, after she had shown Edelgard her gift, there had been a rather embarrassing discussion on what exactly those flags meant. </p><p>But, Edelgard used the mug still, and Rhea was rather proud of that. </p><p>“Hey.” Edelgard said, pulling back her messy, towel dried hair  into a ponytail and giving Rhea a peck on her cheek as she poured out two cups of coffee. “Are you coming back tonight?” </p><p>“I should be, yes.” Rhea said, sliding the lumberjack mug over the Edelgard as she blew on her own, trying to cool it off. “I was meaning to ask. What do you want to do for your birthday tonight?” Rhea saw Edelgard stop, mid-drink at the question. The younger woman pulled her mug from her lips, wiping the remnants of her sip from her lip with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. </p><p>“… You remembered.” Rhea laughed. </p><p>“Of course I did.” She assured. “Is that some kind of joke about my age? My memory fading and all?” </p><p>“No, not at all.” Edelgard said, chuckling and taking another sip of her coffee. “I don’t know though… I uh, I don’t tend to do a whole lot for my birthday.” </p><p>“Well I mean it doesn’t have to be anything big. But there has to be something you want to do to celibrate.” Rhea prodded, seeing a smirk cross Edelgard’s face yet again. “I swear to the goddess if you say me I’ll dump this entire cup onto your head.” Edelgard laughed and looked away. She chewed her cheek in thought, taking another sip and finally looking Rhea in the eye. </p><p>“How about we go out for dinner?” Rhea , despite all her effort to hide it, could tell Edelgard noticed how she’d stiffened at the idea. Just like before, something in her seemed to just fade. Her smile stayed, but the light behind her eyes, the part that made it feel real, dimmed ever so slightly. As Edelgard spoke, Rhea felt as if she were being spoken to by someone doing their best impression of Edelgard, and it was left lacking. “Or I mean we could just grab some take out and-” </p><p>“No…” Rhea interjected. “I… Let’s go to dinner. That sounds lovely.” Rhea felt like an idiot the moment the words left her mouth. </p><p>There was a reason the two of them hadn’t ventured, well really anywhere outside of the bar and Edelgard’s apartment for the past two months, beyond occasionally driving to Hilda’s thrift store or the coffee shop beside it. Those places, at least, they knew would be safe. Rhea still refused to park in the front lot of the bar because the thought of being seen there filled her with dread. The ramifications if she were found out had been the source of more than a few nightmares. Her brother, her church, her job... all of it would vanish. </p><p>There were nearly half a dozen times that she had come so close to giving up coming to the bar all together in the past two months, but of course, every time those attempts failed. </p><p>The first time, it was about a week after Edelgard had added the toiletries to her shower, a week that Rhea had spent nearly the entirety of with her former student. It had been absolutely lovely, but a bruise on her neck had been noticed at the end of the week by Seteth, and even when Rhea had managed to cover herself by saying it was a burn from her flat iron, it was all just too close for her.  She had already planned to go home after that day, if for no other reason then a lack of clean clothes, but after that the plan became to simply never appear again. It would’ve been easier, she thought. They weren’t anything serious, it was just a mutual attraction, some steam blown off when both of them were in the mood. That was all it had been. That was all it was. </p><p>That was all it could be. </p><p>Of course, that certainty and determination lasted three days and two nights. The third night was spent tossing and turning in her bed, until finally at one in the morning she threw on something resembling a decent outfit, and made her way to Flannel Required. </p><p>It was the morning after that that she’d given Edelgard her phone number. </p><p>The last time she’d thought she should end it, break it off completely, had been a month after her first time in the bar. It lasted the entirety of five minutes, as Rhea had been waiting for Edelgard to return from buying supplies for the place, she’d started to think about all the dangers of having her car in the park this early in the afternoon, even if it was tucked as far in the back as she could get it. She’d resolved to stand up, walk to her car and never return, to finally put her foolishness to rest. </p><p>Of course, right when she actually intended to stand, her phone buzzed, and notification reading ‘El: “Hey sweets, grabbing takeout for a late lunch, Adrestian. I got you some Pirozhki, you seemed to love them last week so I hope that’s all right.” She felt utterly ashamed of having even considered leaving as she replied to that message, and she hadn’t entertained the thought of giving up the bar or Edelgard since. But to risk venturing out into Fhirdiad propper, into her home town with Edelgard on a real date, struck her with utter and complete terror. </p><p> Even with all that, however, the genuine smile that her words put on Edelgard’s face, made it all just a little bit less terrifying. </p><p>“You’re sure?” Edelgard asked. </p><p>“Yes, I am.” No, she was not. </p><p>Edelgard grinned, moving in and giving her another peck on the cheek. “Great! There’s this new restaurant down off of Fifth and Imperial. Leonie’s been losing her mind about it for weeks now.” </p><p>“That sounds lovely.” Rhea said as Edelgard’s aged phone buzzed in her pocket. She downed the rest of her coffee in two gulps, and answered it. </p><p>“Dema! It’s about damn time. You’re still coming in today, right? Fantastic. I’ll be able to get you set up then. I have plans around… hold on.” Edelgard covered the microphone and looked at Rhea. “Does six work for you?” Rhea nodded. “ Ok, you still there? Good. I have plans at six, so if you can make it here by half past five, I can get you set up before I go out. Does that work for you?... Well tell Claude he can go fuck himself… OK, fine, 5:40 will work but please don’t be late. I’ll pay extra… None of your fucking buisiness, that’s what I’m doing at six.” </p><p>Rhea chuckled. She wasn’t sure who was on the other line, but something about Edelgard’s chipper attitude, or at least the Edelgard equivalent of chipper, made her smile as she finally hazarded a sip of her coffee. A sip that promptly scorched the roof of her mouth and her tongue, resulting in a jerky removal of the mug from her lips that left a massive brown splotch on her blouse. </p><p>Rhea groaned and set her mug down, not understanding how Edelgard could stand such heat, and marched back to the bedroom, wrenching open her drawer to see the section set aside for blouses completely empty, and a glance at Edelgard’s laundry hamper showed several of them peaking out at various points in the pile. Rhea groaned yet again and ran a hand down her face as her phone alarm reminding her to leave in the next ten minutes rang. She was utterly and completely out of luck. She had one thought as to how to solve the issue, and peaked her head out of the door. “El, can I borrow a shirt?” </p><p>Edelgard covered the mic on her phone again. “Yeah, third drawer-” Rhea had already popped back into the room, well aware of where Edelgard kept the shirts. Edelgard returned to her call. “But yeah, I need the place fixed up a little. We’re hosting another event for the gay men’s choir, and as much as I love Alois that dude can’t fucking control all those twinks once someone orders a round of tequila, so I want this place ready to withstand a hurricane… None of your fucking buisiness that’s who that was. Now, does all that work or not? Awesome. I’ll see you tonight then. Tell Leonie and Sylven I said hey… Love you too, Dema…” Edelgard hung up the phone, stuffing it in her pocket, as Rhea walked out tucking the excess fabric of the slightly too-large button down into her skirt. From the looks of it, she hadn’t even undone the buttons, just slipped it on over her bra and began rushing out the door. Edelgard tried to speak up. “Hey, sweets you’re-” </p><p>“I’m sorry, El honey, but I have to get going. I promise I’ll be back tonight and we can go out, but I’m going to be late for work.” Rhea gave Edelgard a quick kiss and rushed out the door, long gone by the time Edelgard finished her sentence.</p><p>“You’re… you’re wearing a men’s dress shirt…”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Flayn woke up to the bleating of her alarm with a groan and a roll of her eyes. She slapped at her phone, managing to flail her fingers across it at just the right angle to swipe the alarm to silence. </p><p>She sat up in her bed and shook her head, her hair hung in loose green curls that had, yet again, popped the hair tie she'd put in it the night before. Maybe she ought to finally take Petra's advice about a hair bonnet, but her father would likely lose his mind if he ever saw her wearing one. </p><p>Speaking of her father-</p><p>"Flynn! Hurry up or you'll make us both late!" Seteth called from down the stairs, and Flayn rolled her eyes. </p><p>Yet another day in paradise. </p><p>She grabbed her uniform from the hanger in her closet and dressed herself like she had every morning for the past three years. First the slacks, black, unflattering, and painfully drab, which was rather appropriate. Then the shirt, a plain white button down with a dark blue tie, covered with a jacket that somehow managed to be too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. Flayn threw another tie in her hair, binding it back into a painfully horrid bun, and looked at herself in the mirror. </p><p>She looked like a boy. Mission accomplished, she supposed. </p><p>She heard her father call again and grabbed her bag, stuffing a few actually nice clothes into her bag to change into after class. At the very least it was Friday. </p><p>"Flynn! For the sake of all that is good, hurry yourself or I'll have to ask your aunt to drive you in. I will not be late because you decided to doddle again." Seteth called, and Flayn tried not to shoot some snide remark as she practically leapt down the stairs. </p><p>"Fine, fine, I'm here already. Goddess's sake, dad we still have an hour until class starts." Flayn said, double checking her bag was shut. </p><p>"Watch your language, young man. I let you keep that ridiculous hair color, but if I feel you're slipping too far from the goddess's light I'll quit being so generous." Seteth scolded, grabbing the keys to his sedan from the hook by the door. Flayn rolled her eyes. </p><p>"Dad, my hair is not me 'straying from the goddess'. I mean, Aunty Rhea has hair even brighter than mine and she's one of the most devout people I've ever met." </p><p>"While that may be, your aunt has far more proof of her devotion to the goddess. You don't have such mercy, and as long as you live under my roof, you'll abide by my rules." Flayn muttered a 'yes sir' and took the passenger side in the back seat, pulling her phone out and looking at her messages. </p><p>Cat &gt;^..^&lt;: "Hey kiddo, got a reply from Manuela about her costs without putting it on your insurance. She's more than happy to prescribe on the first session, so next time I see you I'll give you the details. Are you coming down tonight?" </p><p>Flayn smiled, though she tried not to be too blatant so as to attract her dad's attention. She typed back quickly, "Wouldn't miss it for the world. My old man is driving me insane. Need to be among my own again, I've missed you all." </p><p>"What has you so plucky, young man?" Seteth asked, trying to sound playful but the edge of suspicion could be heard like a shark seen under the water. </p><p>"My classmate sent me the info for our project this weekend, and he sent it with a fun little smiley face emoji." Seteth seemed abated by that well practiced lie. </p><p>“Ah, yes. I remember you mentioning something about that. Is that tonight?” </p><p>“Yeah, we’re meeting at Cyril’s dorm after class. It’s a pretty big project, so we set the whole weekend aside for it.” Seteth nodded, and Flayn knew her lie had landed, hook line and sinker. </p><p>They were meeting at Cyril’s, but for at most an hour. Then, once they’d divided up the workload, Flayn would be on her happy way to her home away from home. She couldn’t wait. It had been months since the last time she’d been able to make an excuse to visit everyone at Flannel Required. </p><p> </p><p>“Any more questions before we call an end to today’s lecture?” Rhea asked from the front of the lecture hall, looking into a sea of uninterested stares that made up the first three rows. The only two people in the entire room who seemed at all enjoying themselves were the two young women sitting in the very farthest back corner of the room, who would on every possible occasion sneak a glance at each other and smile. They were a cute couple, but their subtlety could use quite a bit of work. “Ok then. All of you have a lovely weekend. Don’t forget the essays due this time next week. Again, six pages, double spaced, analyzing a segment of the Goddess’s Word and its message to followers in the modern day! Please try and be creative, if I have to read one more explanation on the modern message of ‘thou shalt not kill’ I will drop your grade an entire letter.” </p><p>The class sped from the room as if they were fleeing the devil himself, and Rhea pulled her flash drive containing her lecture from the computer connected to the projector. She put the drive into her purse, and wondered what she should do for lunch before her last class of the day at three.</p><p>“You’re growing a bit oblivious in your age, dear sister.” Rhea was startled from her thoughts by Seteth’s voice behind her. She wheeled around to see her brother, a kind smile on his face, even after she smacked him in the arm with her purse. </p><p>“I’m not that much older than you, Seteth, and it’s impolite to comment on a woman’s age. I’d ask if you were raised in a barn but I rather clearly remember teaching you much better.” Seteth chuckled. </p><p>“Yes, you did. But I’ve always been a better instructor than student, you know that.” </p><p>“I suppose I do. Your administration here has done little to ease that.” Rhea leaned against her desk, and Seteth quirked a brow at the rather casual gesture. “So, whatever could be so important to prompt a visit from the dean himself to a simple instructor?” </p><p>“Do I need some devious reason to visit what little kin I have? I wanted to come and see how you’ve been. I haven’t seen near as much of you these past few months.”</p><p>Rhea cleared her throat, trying not to giver away just how nervous that comment made her. “Ah, yes. I’ve just been a bit busy. The class load this semester has become rather difficult to manage, so I’ve been trying to handle my grading time appropriately. But you know how I am about my work.” She knew she was babbling at this point, but the way Seteth looked at her, as if he was noticing something that only proved his point, made her desperate to shift the subject. “So, why were you calling me oblivious? Earlier, I mean.” </p><p>“Ah, yes that. Thank you for the reminder.” Seteth said, adjusting the neck of his starched black button down, the clerical collar as pristine and white as if it were brand new, as it always was. “There were two women in the back of your class. A miss Varley and miss Dominique if I recognized them properly, who seemed rather… affectionate toward each other. Simply holding hands wouldn’t be much of concern, a friendly gesture perhaps, but those two have had a history of misconduct together that is highly discouraged in the eyes of the goddess. I thought it odd you had not reprimanded them, but I suppose from the center of the room, the lights can make it difficult to spot something like that. Do not worry, I’ll see to it that it’s documented and proper course followed.” </p><p>Of course, Rhea thought to herself, she’d gone right from the frying pan into the fire. But at least he had stopped pressing her on her whereabouts. </p><p>“I am… glad that you were able to see what I couldn’t, brother.” Rhea said, feeling a pang of guilt run through her at letting Bernadetta and Annette pay for her raising the point again. But at the least, she was safe from his prying into her life outside of work. </p><p>“Of course! No one is without flaw, beside the goddess herself. It’s no shame to have missed a single indiscretion.” Seteth’s smile grew just a bit more knowing as he continued, and it seemed Rhea hadn’t been so lucky to avoid his prying after all. “I must say, you seem very well dressed this morning. I do find your shirt a bit intriguing however.” Rhea swore at herself in her head, her vocabulary of that sort having grown rather impressively with her time around Edelgard. </p><p>“I’m sure I have no idea what you mean, it’s a simple dress shirt. N-nothing special about it in the slightest.” Rhea, on instinct, tugged on her own collar, and as her fingers slipped away, she realized the topmost button was on the wrong side. She prayed that her expression didn’t change, because internally she was debating the viability of fleeing the room as she realized she was wearing a men’s dress shirt, one that had come from Edelgard’s drawer. </p><p>“Are you sure? It seems rather unlike your usual wear, is all I mean.” Rhea felt as if Seteth was dropping a hint that she was either missing, or praying he was misguided on. “Why, it doesn’t look like it’s your shirt at all. Might it belong to someone else? Perhaps the same someone who’s been occupying so much of your time as of late?” All the blood in Rhea’s veins froze, and she realized she’d been found out. He knew, she didn’t know how, but he knew about her visits to the bar. Why had he danced so lackadaisical around it? This couldn’t end any way but in her immediate termination, let alone her expulsion from the church. Had he wanted to soften the blow? Had he meant to make it hurt that much more? All those thoughts rocketed through her head as she stood there, unable to voice any intelligible reply. Seteth chuckled, patting Rhea on her shoulder. “I’m only giving you a bit of a hard time, Rhea. There’s no need to get so flustered. You’ve been markedly happier as of late, more so than I think I've ever seen from you since we were children, singing in the back seat of mother’s car. I would like to meet the man responsible, thank him properly, ensure he knows it’ll be the goddess’s wrath if he hurts you, the usual brotherly tasks, of course.” Seteth chuckled, and looked at his watch. “Oh goodness, I hate to flee in the middle of all this, but I’m afraid I have a meeting I simply must attend. I hope the rest of your day goes well, Rhea. Do take care of yourself.” Seteth said, turning and making his way up the stairs, muttering to himself something akin to ‘Father Arundel will be absolutely furious if I keep him waiting.` </p><p>The door to her classroom closed, and Rhea released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, the next few inhales coming in shakily, as the adrenaline of it all still rushed through her, slowly dissipating. </p><p>‘Him’… Seteth thought she was seeing a man. Of course he would, Rhea couldn’t believe she’d thought he’d assume otherwise. Who in their right mind would assume a men’s shirt belonged to a woman?</p><p> But still, that made her heart beat no less hard against her chest as she threw her bag over her shoulder and made for her car. She wasn’t very hungry any more, but she needed to be away from here, as long as she could be. </p><p> </p><p>Flayn was absolutely exhausted by the time she left Cyril's dorm. The assignment however was divided up, which meant Flayn was free to actually enjoy the rest of her weekend. Her phone rang in her pocket, and she popped it out to see a familiar name. </p><p>Sylly Goose: "Am I grabbing you from the usual spot?" </p><p>Flayn smiled and typed out her response. "No, two blocks down. By the public library."</p><p>Sylly Goose: "Sounds good. I'll keep my eye out for the schoolgirl outfit. ;-)" </p><p>Flayn rolled her eyes. </p><p>"Only in your dreams, you perv." </p><p>Sylly Goose: "They'll all be of you. Btw I'm hauling a coworker of mine over with me, she's a grumpy bitch but she doesn't bite, she leaves that to me " </p><p>"You're incorrigible." </p><p>Sylly Goose: "I'm no scholar but I think you misspelled adorable." </p><p>"Just get here quick before I get caught and have to explain this to my dad." Flayn hit send, stuck her phone in her pocket and waited. About ten minutes later, a beat up old pickup truck pulled up to the lot, parking right in front of her. A shaggy haired redhead popped out of the driver's seat in a plaster spackled flannel thrown on over an undershirt that read "God is love, but the devil does that thing with her tongue'.</p><p>"Well hey there cutie, you need a ride home? It'll cost you, but I’m sure we can make an arrangement." Sylven said with a wink. </p><p>"Sylven, I swear you act like your only frame of reference for human interaction is porn." Flayn teased. </p><p>"Act?" Sylven asked with a faux confused look on her face. </p><p>"Syl," a deep voice called from the passenger seat, and Flayn saw a mess of blonde hair obscuring all but the voice of the person sitting in Sylvens truck. "Let's get a move on. If my sister kills me because you're taking your sweet ass time I'm making you pay for my drinks." </p><p>Sylven laughed and shook her head. "Pardon my company. She's a boar of a woman but we love her anyway." There was a somewhat jovial 'hmph' from the passenger side, and Sylven beaconed her forward. "Come on, schoolgirl. Let's get out of here. Hope you don't mind the squeeze, Dema didn't like the idea of hopping in the bed. The truck bed, I mean." </p><p>"Sylven." 'Dema' chided from the passenger seat, but she just laughed as Flayn slid into the middle seat. </p><p>"It's fine, I don't tend to have issues with… space." Flayn settled into her seat and finally got a good look at the passenger, or at least as good as she could from her spot half sitting in the blonde’s lap with the cramped truck cab. "H-hi." Flayn said meekly to the blonde, who gave her a nod and a smile. </p><p>"Good afternoon, apologies for Sylven… being Sylven." The blonde said. She was, in a word, a mountain of a woman. She wore a similarly ruined denim overshirt on top of a black t-shirt that seemed rather strained over her chest. Her muscular frame was apparent even with nearly no skin showing. </p><p>Flayn was snapped from her observation by Sylven slamming her door shut, and she realized the blonde was looking at her expectantly. </p><p>"I… I'm sorry I didn't catch that." Flayn admitted, blushing. </p><p>"I said my name is Demeter. What is yours?" </p><p>"Oh! I'm Flayn." </p><p>“It’s nice to meet you.” Demeter was curt and polite as she spoke before turning back and staring out the window. Sylven chuckled, but Flayn couldn't figure out why. She gave up trying to figure it out, and reached into her bag, pulling out her small stack of papers, a single staple in the corner holding it together as she nabbed a highlighter from her breast pocket, opening to a page only half covered in vibrant pink ink and using the highlighter to trace her progress. </p><p>A while passed with her reading as they drove, and as they hit a bump on the road out of the city, Flayn looked up and made eye contact with Demeter. She was a bit confused by the look on her face, or the lack of one at least. Her expression was blank, her lips even, her brows set without any raise or furrow, but her eyes seemed intrigued, ever curious. Flayn looked down and pretended to cough into her hand. Her face felt warm, and she wondered if she was starting to get car sick from reading during the drive. </p><p>“What are you reading?” Demeter asked, head resting in one hand, the elbow of which was propped on the door, sticking out of the open window. </p><p>“Oh, um, it’s a section of the Goddess’s Word. I have an assignment due on it next week that I thought I might get a jump start on during the drive. We ended up being assigned ‘The Emperor and his Wolf. Everyone else was kind of bummed out, but I’m actually happy about it. I always loved hearing it as a kid. My mom read it a lot when I was young, so it kind of reminds me of her I guess.” Flayn rambled on, as she always tended to, but Demeter didn’t seem bothered by it, her lips even curled into the faintest of smiles as she listened. Flayn shrugged, and Demeter nodded along with her, as if offering to let her go on. “That’s actually where I was before I told Sylven to come get me. I had a meeting with the guys in my group, and we split the assignment up. Everyone was so irritated at getting this one, but I really don’t get why. I like it. It’s interesting to see a story whose message isn’t ‘fear everything, including yourself’ or ‘if you aren’t perfect you’ll suffer eternally’. I mean, we see this emperor assailed on all sides by armies, some of them led by his own generals, the ones he’s meant to trust most. He only has dogs to protect him, but even then all of them but the one wolf turn on him, so he locks himself away in a tower, bloodied and alone, while his loyal wolf sits outside, howling to the moon for the master’s forgiveness, and the two of them are so consumed by their guilt and their fear that it destroys them, the weight of it crushing the entirety of the tower.” Flayn looked up and realized that Demeter’s smile had grown even more, still small by any other standard but in comparison to what she’d seen so far that might as well have been a face-splitting grin. That smile scrunched the skin around Demeter’s eyes, and that let the light catch on the rather fresh looking scar across her left eye. Flayn blushed and looked away, seeing the clock and realizing she’d been talking for nearly ten minutes. “I… I’m sorry, I ramble a lot.” </p><p>“No, you’re fine.” Demeter said, her expression softening back to a more subdued smile. “I grew up in a very religious family, so I know those stories well. I’d never heard that interpretation of the story before. I was always taught to see it as a story of trying to flee punishment, that for the generals and hounds to have wanted the emperor dead, he must have done something wrong to deserve it, and the tower collapsing was a lesson that nothing can hide from the Goddess’s wrath… But I like your version much more.” Demeter said, and Flayn felt her face grow warm again, not quite being able to tear her eyes from Demeter’s until she felt the car lurch to a stop. </p><p>“Come on, nerds. Let’s get shitfaced.” Sylven said, slapping the steering wheel and hopping out of her door, closing it before Flayn could even slide out. </p><p>“Damnit, Syl.” Demeter muttered, opening her own door. “You can come out this side if you want, Flayn.” Demeter said once she was on her feet, and Flayn realized as she scooted over that Demeter was wearing absolutely destroyed fatigue pants, half the pockets covered in specks of concrete, plaster and who knew what else. </p><p>Who in their right mind wore camouflage, denim, and black together?</p><p>“Thank you.” Flayn said, finally scooting far enough she could turn and drop out of the truck. Although ‘drop’ took a quite literal meaning when Flayn’s foot caught on a tool bag on the floorboard, and her attempt at a smooth exit turned into her tumbling out of the truck. The sole thing that stopped her from slamming the back of her head into the pavement was her falling on to Demeter instead, the muscular woman by no means being soft, did however give a much softer landing then the concrete. </p><p>Flayn pushed herself up and looked down at the woman underneath her, the woman she was currently... straddling. </p><p>“You fell.” Demeter said, and Flayn heard the sound of Sylven slapping herself in the forehead, dragging her hand down her face. </p><p>“Y-yeah… thanks for the uh, soft landing.” Flayn said, certain she must be red as a beat. </p><p>“Oh for the love of-” Sylven muttered to herself, standing on the first step up to the porch of the bar. “Do you two plan on getting up, or should I toss you a condom and give you some privacy?” Both women went red in the face and scrambled to their feet, Flayn dusting off the knee of her trousers as Demeter just started walking to the door. She supposed that was one benefit to wearing clothes of that sort, not having to worry about dirt. </p><p>“Good evening ladies, and Sylven.” Shamir said as they approached the door. </p><p>“Yeah, nice to see you too, asshole.” The scrawny red head muttered before walking through the door, settling in at the bar and ordering her usual cheap beer. Flayn squealed and ran, tackling Shamir in a hug, and soon enough she and Demeter joined Sylven at the bar, along with Hilda and Leonie. </p><p>"Just keep your shitty pickup lines to yourself, and I'll be able to say the same." Shamir shouted over her shoulder as Catherine walked up, keying off the cap of a bottle and setting it in front of Sylven. </p><p>"What about you, sweetheart? Usual?" Catherine asked Flayn, who smiled and nodded. Catherine grinned and pulled a Shirley Temple piled high with cherries from under the bar,  setting it in front of the girl. "Told you it wouldn't be a waste." Catherine said to Leonie, who rolled her eyes. "Dema, what about you?" </p><p>"Water is fine, I still have some work to do. Do you know where El is?" Demeter asked, a bit awkward as Catherine slid her an ice water. </p><p>"She's upstairs, getting ready for a date tonight with her girlfriend." Catherine said, nodding toward the door leading up to her apartment. </p><p>"Ooooooh, Edelgard's seeing someone?" Flayn asked, slapping her hands on the table and leaning forward excitedly. She always loved catching up with the gossip whenever she got to be back here after a long gap, and Edelgard had been a rather non-entity in said gossip since she'd first started coming to the bar, so hearing her be mentioned was exciting. </p><p>"That's news to me." Demeter said into her glass, taking a sip. </p><p>"Well maybe if you turned up more often then every third blue moon you'd know about it." Leonie teased. "Took you all long enough to get here." </p><p>"We had to pick up the school girl." Sylven gestured to Flayn, who realized she was in fact still wearing her uniform. </p><p>"And Sylven, for all her flaws, does at least try to abide by speed limits." Demeter added as Flayn excused herself, grabbing her backpack and walking to the restroom. </p><p>"Whatever. It's just cus that truck would fall apart if it ever went above 50. My bike is a freaking tank." Leonie boasted. </p><p>Demeter muttered something akin to 'I'm sure it is' and took another sip. "So, what is this woman like? I thought I heard El talking to someone this morning." </p><p>"It was probably her then, she sleeps here more often then she doesn't, I swear." Hilda said after taking a sip from her glass, some sickly sweet looking pink cocktail that matched the lipstick stain she left on the rim, as well as the croptop she was wearing under one of Leonie's jackets. </p><p>"Hmmm, so it's serious." Dema said, making Catherine laugh. </p><p>"Oh without a doubt, not that either of them will admit it." Catherine leaned against the bar. </p><p>"Let's all just be glad Edelgard hasn't proposed already." Hilda chimed in, making Leonie laugh. </p><p>"Honestly, I don't even think Ingrid is that bad. I still don’t know what she was thinking though." Leonie muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. </p><p>"I don't blame her, Mercy is a catch." Sylven tried to defend her friend. </p><p>"You're just saying that cus she's older than you." Leonie jeered. </p><p>"Hey, it's not my fault milfs are hot, especially trans milfs. I'm not even being horny, here,  I'm just stating facts." Every other woman in the room rolled their eyes. </p><p>"Sylven, why are you like this?" Hilda asked through a groan. </p><p>"You don't want to know." Leonie replied, knocking back the rest of her whiskey.</p><p>"I'm right, and you are all just too chickenshit to admit it." Sylven declared as the door to the bar swung open again. </p><p>"Speak of the devil." Hilda whispered, making Leonie have to hold back a laugh. </p><p>"Hey, Professor." Catherine said with a nod as Rhea took an empty seat at the corner of the bar, right between Demeter and Leonie. </p><p>"Hello, Catherine. Can I get some water please?" Rhea half muttered as she dragged her hands down her face. </p><p>"Long day?" Catherine asked. </p><p>"You have no idea. I just finished my last lecture of the week and if I never had to give another again it would be too soon." Rhea shook her head, trying to let herself relax." Do you know where El is?" She asked, not noticing the raised brow from Demeter beside her, who then looked to Catherine with a question unsaid, to which Catherine gave a simple nod. </p><p>"She's upstairs." Demeter answered for Catherine, turning to look at Rhea. </p><p>"Oh, thank you miss…" </p><p>"Demeter. And you are?" </p><p>"Rhea." She replied. </p><p>"Nice to meet you." Demeter said, and Rhea suddenly felt as if she were being assessed, for what she wasn't quite sure. After a long pause, Demeter smiled. "So, what kind of business do you have with El?" Rhea blushed at an insinuation she couldn't help but hear between the lines of that question. </p><p>"We're just going out for dinner. A birthday celebration." Rhea said casually enough. </p><p>"Hm, that's very sweet. I've never met you before. Did you just recently come out and start coming here, or did we just never run into each other prior?" </p><p>"N-no, neither really. I started stopping by here a few months ago, but I… well I'm not 'out'. I just… I'm just here." Rhea didn't need to shrug, her uncertainty was written in every pause and waiver of her voice. She didn't notice them, but the eyerolls her answer had drawn from Leonie and Hilda were so powerfully aggravated that it was a wonder they didn't send the whole room spinning. </p><p>"I see. Well, I'm sure Edelgard will be down any second now." Demeter said, turning back to her water without another word. </p><p>The door to the restroom opened, and Flayn stuffed the last remnants of her uniform into her bag, looking down at it as she took her seat to ensure she didn’t have something fall out onto the floor. After having a pair of underwear fall out one night several months prior, she became rather paranoid about that.  But, her bag was closed tight, and she set it under her barstool, smoothing out the vaguely wrinkled circle skirt that had replaced her trousers, and making sure she’d properly tucked her sweater in at the waist. </p><p>Sylven looked at Flayn and gave her a fake pout. “Awe, no more schoolgirl outfit? I’m crushed.” </p><p>“She was wearing pants, you jackass.” Hilda chided, and Sylven scoffed. </p><p>“Thank you, pillow princess for missing the point of the entire fucking joke!” Rhea rolled her eyes at the other’s yelling, just trying to keep her eyes forward, and stay out of the argument as she went to take a sip of her drink. </p><p>“Syl, leave Hilda alone.” Demeter tried her best to stem the insults flying back and forth between Sylven and Hilda, but the two were unstoppable, so she could only sigh and look to Flayn. “Does it bother you at all when she says things like that? She’s a jackass, but she never means much harm, and if she knew it did, she’d stop.” Flayn giggled and shook her head. </p><p>“No, it’s ok. She’s asked me about it before, a few times actually. It helps sometimes with you know…” she gestured to her bag, the emblem of Saint Cichol’s Academy for Young Men still visible, and Demeter nodded. </p><p>“Ok, I wanted to be certain… you look very pretty.” Demeter said, looking away quickly and taking a drink of her water. Flayn looked away as well, if only to hide her blush. </p><p>“Th-thank you!” Flayn’s reaction being as blatant as it was, Catherine, Hilda and Leonie all looked to Sylven, who nodded, her eyebrows raised in emphasis as she mouthed the words ‘oh yeah, they’ve got it bad.’ </p><p>Rhea furrowed her brow at hearing the familiar voice as she set her glass down, and turned only to nearly spit the liquid still in her mouth all over Demeter, grabbing a napkin off the counter and pulling it to her lips as she coughed from the drink going down the wrong pipe. When she finally righted herself, she turned and locked eyes with none other than her, as she would soon be informed, niece. </p><p>“Rhea!?” “Flynn!?” Flayn and Rhea shouted in unison, only for nearly every woman in the bar, especially Catherine, Demeter and Sylven, to give Rhea an absolutely murderous glare. </p><p>“What in the hell are you doing here!?” Flayn exclaimed. </p><p>“I could ask you much of the same!” </p><p>“OK! Everyone shut up!” Catherine shouted, making the two women go silent. “Flayn, please be a dear and tell me what the fuck is going on?” </p><p>‘Well…” Flayn said, looking a bit confused as she looked at Rhea, as was everyone else. No one in the room had even noticed when Edelgard’s door opened and the woman herself stepped out, still rolling up the sleeves of her black dress shirt. </p><p>“What the hell is all the yelling about?” Edelgard asked as she walked to the bar. Her voice was set, unwavering, and as Rhea turned she saw that same familiar sharpness behind Edelgard’s eyes that she had seen in the shower that morning, although it died as soon as she saw the people sitting along the closest line of chairs. She took a second, pausing to rest a hand on Rhea’s shoulder and give her a peck on the cheek. “Give me ten minutes to talk with my sister, and I’ll be ready to go.” Flayn looked utterly flabbergasted as she looked between Rhea and Edelgard, as if she were expecting one of them to poof from existence and all of this to have been a dream. “Come on, Dema, lemme give you a once over on the place and what I need, then I gotta get out of here.” Edelgard smacked Demeter in the arm, and the blonde stood from her stool, following her toward the back room. As Edelgard stepped through the door into the back, everyone looked back to Rhea and Flayn expectantly. </p><p>“E-everyone... meet my aunt.” Flayn meekly gestured to Rhea and cleared her throat. “And Aunty Rhea it’s um… Flayn, when I’m not anywhere dad would find out.” </p><p>“Oh… I… well that is good to know I suppose.” Rhea said, her face looking calm but her eyes looking as if she wouldn’t have been surprised if the floor fell out underneath her and sent her plummeting into the earth’s molten core. “I suppose we have quite a… lot to catch up on.” </p><p>“I’d say so, yeah!” Flayn exclaimed. Rhea looked at the room around them, and just felt as if it were a little too public to have this sort of conversation.</p><p>“Here, let’s talk somewhere a bit less… in the middle of everyone else.” Rhea said, sliding from her barstool as Flayn did the same, the two of them walking up the stairs to Edelgard’s apartment, and the remaining patrons just looked between themselves, various levels of confused and amused. </p><p>“Marianne isn’t going to believe this…” Hilda whispered to Leonie. </p><p>“I don’t believe it and I sat here for most of it… although you know what we probably should have thought something seeing as how they both have green hair. I mean yeah like, it’s dyed and that doesn’t really mean anything but how many fucking women in this city do you know with green hair?” Leonie asked, Hilda started counting them off on her fingers in her head, and Leonie had to stifle a groan. “Babe I was-” Hilda rolled her eyes. </p><p>“I’m aware, you carrot!” </p><p>“I’m more amazed no one put together that they both had the last name Seiros.” Shamir called from her perch by the door. </p><p>“Not all of us peep at IDs all night, Shamir.” Hilda protested. </p><p>“I mean I do and I still managed to miss that.” Catherine mumbled, scratching at the back of her head. How the hell had she missed that?</p><p> </p><p>“So…” Rhea began, sat on the couch in Edelgard’s small living room while Flayn toyed with her own fingers in the spot beside her. “I’m going to assume Seteth doesn’t know about any of this.” </p><p>Flayn shook her head. “No, not a bit. And I’d like to keep it that way, until I can finish school and get what money mom left me out from his control.” Rhea nodded, dragging her hands down her face as she tried to make heads or tails of all this. </p><p>“ Well, for what it may be worth, I won’t tell him… and I think you look very pretty. Your resemblance to your mother is striking.” Flayn giggled at the compliment. </p><p>“Thanks, aunty. That means a lot, coming from you… I’m going to guess dad doesn’t know about you, either?” </p><p>Rhea nods. “No one does, outside of the women in this bar. And I’d similarly like that to stay amongst us.” Flayn furrowed her brow. </p><p>“But why? I mean, you have your own money, your degree, you don’t have someone that could kick you onto the street without a penny to your name… Why hide?” </p><p>Rhea sighed and shook her head. “Flayn, it isn’t so simple as that. I have a job, yes, but that job is in an institution that would fire me on the spot if they found out I was…” </p><p>“Gay?” Flayn offered, and Rhea flinched from the word like it was a snake ready to bite her. </p><p>“If they found out I spent time in a place like this.” Rhea chose instead. “The church would likely completely cut me off, not to mention your father would almost certainly cut all contact with me. The two of you are the only family I have left in this world… I don’t want to ruin that.” </p><p>“But you can find another job, you don’t need the church to worship, there’s-”</p><p>“Flayn!” Rhea snapped, cutting her niece off. “I am well aware of all of this… but I’m 43 years old. I’ve spent so much time building the life I have now, I can’t so idly walk away from it all. Now please, just drop it.” </p><p>Flayn sighed and bobbed her knees up and down, chewing her cheek as she tried to find some way to not have the conversation die then and there. She felt like this was her first real conversation with her aunt, and yet she was just as closed off as ever. </p><p>“So… you and Edelgard are together? How’s that been?” </p><p>Rhea blushed and shrugged. “It’s been nice. A bit odd..” </p><p>‘I could imagine.” Flayn’s remark made her aunt chuckle, and that gave her a speck of hope. </p><p>“But Edelgard is a sweet woman. She’s been through quite a lot, but she still manages to be caring and supportive, even if she has a… strange way about it. She makes me feel like I can be myself around her. I feel… safe, with her. Even when I decide to do asinine things like agree to go out to dinner.” And like that, Rhea went from gushing about Edelgard to smashing face first back into the closed off mess she’d been prior. </p><p>“So why go, then?” Rhea sets her chin on her hand as Flayn asks her yet another question she has barely any answer to. </p><p>“I don’t know, Edelgard just seemed so excited at the prospect, and it’s her birthday, so I thought… She’s made the past few months so special, I just wanted to do something nice for her.” </p><p>“I think that’s really sweet of you, aunty.” Flayn said, poking rhea in the arm playfully. “I can tell she means a lot to you.” </p><p>“She does. I just wish it wasn’t so dangerous for me to show her that.” </p><p> </p><p>Back in the stockroom, Edelgard walked through several of the repairs she needed done, as she plucked up a crate of beer and moved it out of the way. </p><p>“Allright, so there’s the drywall, mounting the extra storage because Petra and Dorothea ‘bumped into’ the wall and broke two of our shelves, I’m pretty sure there’s a vent and an outlet in the corner that accidentally got covered who the fuck knows how long ago, so getting that fixed, and uh, extra insulation in the ceiling here. Soundproof insulation, if that’s even an option.” Edelgard scratched at the back of her head, and Demeter felt like she was looking at an alien. </p><p>“I know what you mean. I’ll do what I can, but like I said, I can’t do it for free, even for you, El.” Edelgard smirked. </p><p>“I’d’ve been pissed if you did. Same price per hour as last time?” Dema nodded. “Wonderful. I’ll let Cat know to set aside some beer, the good stuff, for you and Syl to take home tonight, and just keep a log of your time working and I’ll get you covered for every cent.” </p><p>“Sounds fair enough to me, now on to another topic.”</p><p>“What, Dema? I’m going to be late.” Edelgard groaned. </p><p>“For your date.” </p><p>“It’s not a date, we’re just grabbing dinner for my birthday.” Edelgard assured, with quite little certainty. </p><p>“El, I’m aware I’m not exactly the best at social things, but I’m rather certain most would call doing something like that with a woman you’ve been ‘seeing’ for two months a date.” </p><p>“Since when have either of us cared about what most people would say, Dema?” Edelgard asked, a half aggravated, half cocky grin on her face as she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her black slacks. “I must have missed that fucking memo, cus I was rather certain the fact that we did the exact opposite was the reason you’re about the only family I got.” </p><p>“I’m not saying anything like that, El, I’m just saying-” </p><p>“I know what you’re saying, Dema. But I also know that this isn’t a date. It can’t be a date.” Demeter looked rather shocked at that declaration. </p><p>“And why not?” </p><p>“Because I’m not some stupid fucking kid who gets her hopes up over nothing anymore, Dema. I’m a grown ass woman, and I know damn well what me and Rhea are, and it ain’t that. It’s never going to be that, because it can’t be that. Now what the hell was so important that you had to bring it up right this instant!?”</p><p>“... Anselma’s coming into the city toward the end of this month. I don’t know why, or if it’s meant to involve you, but she tried to call me and ask to get lunch together.” Edelgard’s face dropped, the only expression left on it being the twitch of her upper lip as she barely contained a bared-teeth scowl. The absolute frigid cold of the look in her lilac eyes made Demeter very aware of just how warm, even in her annoyance, Edelgard had been with her mere seconds prior. “Please, don’t do anything rash or let this get to you. I’ve only been around a few minutes and I know you’re happier now than I’ve seen you in years, I don’t want to ruin that, but you deserved to know.” </p><p>“... Thanks, Dima.” Edelgard said, looking to the floor, the glint of light from her freshly polished boots catching her own eye. “I’ll try my best… now I need to get going.” </p><p>“El, listen if this is about Lysithea-” </p><p>“Goodbye, Dema.” Edelgard said as she stepped past her sister and into the front of the bar. </p><p>“... Happy birthday, El.” Demeter muttered to herself as she moved to begin her work. </p><p>As Edelgard walked out, she saw Flayn and Rhea missing, and looked to Catherine. “What the hell did I miss?” </p><p>“Rhea is Flayn’s aunt, didn’t know Flayn was trans, the two went up to your place to talk things over.” Catherine summarized, getting a nod in return from Edelgard. </p><p>“Huh, the shit you miss when you take the time to dress nice.” Edelgard mumbled to herself as she made her way up the stairs, knocking on the still open door, both women sitting on the couch looking up to her at once as she leaned against the door frame. “Flayn, as always, a pleasure to see you. Am I interrupting anything?” Flayn smiled at her and shook her head, so Edelgard looked up to Rhea, one eyebrow raised. “Ready to go, babe?” </p><p>“Yes, just give me a second to grab my bag.” Rhea said, walking to the kitchen counter and grabbing her purse. When she turned back to Edelgard, she could see the cheeky little grin on her niece’s face at Edelgard’s using ‘babe’. The three of them walked down the stairs, Edelgard and Rhea bidding the others goodbye before heading to Rhea’s car, while Flayn rejoined Sylven, Hilda, and Leonie at the bar. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“When everything is lonely, I can be my own best friend… I get a coffee and a paper, Have my own conversation… With the sidewalk and the pigeons, And my window reflection… The mask I polish in the evenings, by the morning looks like shit…”<em> The radio hums out, the lyrics over a quiet, sullen guitar as Rhea drives them through the city. They’d been listening to the CD for nearly twenty minutes before either spoke, Rhea lost in thoughts of her conversation with Flayn, while Edelgard… well, who knew what was going through Edelgard’s head at that moment. Every inch of her seemed tense, the way she sat, the way she looked out the window, the way her foot tapped out of beat with the song, all of it. She saw her looking around at times as if looking for a threat around every corner they took. </em></em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>After a while, Rhea broke the silence. “If you want, you can switch out the cd for something else. I’ve had this mix in for years, so i tend to just tune it out.” Edelgard shook her head. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“No, I like this one. It’s nice.” Edelgard assured with a smile Rhea almost believed. “I never knew you were the type to mix cds.” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“I’m not that old, El. My mom taught me how to make mixtapes before I'd even made it to middle school, and by the time I was graduating highschool cds were starting to become big. I actually made this one around when Flayn was born. She’d always fall asleep when I played it while I drove her and my brother around.” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“I still can’t believe Flayn is your niece.” Edelgard’s joke made Rhea roll her eyes, but Edelgard seemed to be deep in thought as she continued. “You don’t talk about your family often.” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“There isn’t very much to tell. Even before my mother passed, it was just her, my brother and I. She died when we were young. I was in highschool, he was maybe 12, and it was either I took over the house, or Seteth would be put into foster care, so I tried to raise him as best I could… Flayn came into the picture about four years later. I was going to this podunk little community college on the other side of the city for my degree, and… well I wasn’t able to keep as close of an eye on Seteth as I should have, I suppose.” Rhea sighed, looking at the specks of rain constantly infesting the windshield, her wipers swiping back and forth as fast as they could go. The first real shower of spring, and it was belting down on them. Wonderful. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“That couldn’t have been easy.” Edelgard offered, as weak of a show of sympathy as it was, it still made Rhea feel heard. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“It wasn’t. Seteth was still a child himself, and Flayn’s mother was no better off. After they’d both graduated highschool, they managed to move out on their own, but until then, I was functionally raising Flayn and Seteth at the same time… The church helped a lot. Day care, food, toiletries, there were a lot of things that we’d’ve gone without had it not been for the people at the church. Honestly, I don’t know if I’d’ve survived the stress of it all had I not had the church’s help.”</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Well I’m glad you did.” Edelgard said, resting her hand on Rhea’s atop the center console.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“I am too…” Rhea couldn’t think of more to say, and she’d seen Edelgard stiffen a bit at the mention of the church, so she didn’t say anything either. Eventually, Rhea shook the dreary memories of her past away, reaching into the console. “Let's forget about all of that. It’s your birthday, it’s meant to be happy.” She laid the small, brightly wrapped box on Edelgard’s lap as they pulled into a parking space in the lot of the restaurant. Rhea cut the engine, and looked to Edelgard as she eyed the box, almost not understanding what was going on. “Go on, open it! It’s not going to bite you.” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Edelgard laughed and tore at the bright red paper, exposing a hard plastic case underneath of which she could see a crudely hand drawn Adrestian eagle, under which was a handwritten list of songs, every single one of which Edelgard could recognize the names of. They were some of her favorites. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“You didn’t…” Edelgard said as she looked up from the tape case. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“I did. You always complain about the radio in your truck, so I thought I’d give you something to listen to that you could actually stand beside those goddess-awful mullet rock tapes.” Edelgard beamed as she looked up from the list of songs again, slapping the palm of her hand with the case. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Thanks, Ray. This… this means a lot.” Edelgard said. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“I’m glad. You mean a lot to me, El.” Rhea said, and Edelgard’s brows furrowed for a half a second, lost in confusion, before swallowing and squeezing her hand. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“You mean a lot to me too, Ray.” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Edelgard slipped the tape into her pocket, and they left the car to stand in line for a table. The place was absolutely packed with people, unsurprising given it was still rather new to the city. Even with how big Firdhiad was, a restaurant as nice as this popping up was still an occasion. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>As they waited, Rhea found herself slowly growing more comfortable with being in public with Edelgard. She’d thought her heart would burst with how fast it was beating when she first stepped through the door, but as time went on, and no one screamed in horror or indignation, she found herself actually relaxing. After a few minutes, she even stood closer to Edelgard, leaning against the shorter woman as they talked about everything and nothing at all. Rhea’s day at work, Edelgard’s stress preparing for some event going on later in the month for a men’s choir, as well as what they might do after dinner. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“How about a movie night? We can grab some popcorn and candy on our way home. You can pick, since it’s your birthday, but please don’t pick another cheesy romance movie. I can only watch ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ so many times.” Rhea teased, bumping Edelgard in the side with her elbow. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Excuse me, ma’am, that is not a ‘cheesy romance’, that is art.” Edelgard laid her hand on her chest in feigned offence. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Fine, I suppose we can watch it one more time.” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Awe, you absolutely spoil me.” Edelgard teased, looking around and sighing as she saw the line still slogging along, finally seeing a sign for the restrooms. “I’ve gotta step away for just a second.” She said, stepping toward the bathroom. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Rhea couldn’t have been standing there for more than half a minute when she heard a voice that made her blood run cold for the second time that afternoon. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Rhea, what on earth are you doing here!?” Seteth exclaimed, walking up to her and wrapping her in a hug, one that she did not return. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“S-Seteth?” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Of course, who else?” Seteth asked, looking at the line around them. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“I… w-why are you here?” Rhea realized the words sounded like an accusation as they left her mouth, but what else could she do? </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Why, of all places, of all times, did it have to be here and now?</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“I have dinner plans with some clergy visiting from Enbarr. They apparently heard highly about this place and wanted to try it. They should be here any moment now.” Seteth looked back toward the door. “But enough changing the subject, what brings you here? This place seems rather outside your usual eateries…” Rhea tried to find an excuse, but before she could a knowing look crossed Seteth’s face. “You’re here with someone, aren’t you?” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“W-what?! No, of course not!” Rhea exclaimed, but it was clear Seteth didn’t believe a word of it. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Oh, Rhea, i’m not so easy to pull the wool over, you know. I will say, from what I’ve heard about this place from Father Arundel, I am at least glad to see whomever you’re here with, he has some taste. Where is he? I’d love to finally get to meet him.” Seteth looks around again, and Rhea shifts into his path to try and block his view. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Seteth, really, i’m not here with anyone. You don’t have to act so dramatic about all of this.” Rhea assured him, but he knew her too well.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Rhea, please don’t insult me thinking i’d be fooled so easily. Now I understand being uncertain about introducing family, but I’ve got no intention of trying to scare whomever this nice young man is away.” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Rhea needed to leave. She had to get out of there. There was no way she could do this. Not with Seteth there. Risking being out among strangers was one thing, but her own brother? No. There was no way. She had to find an excuse, and as she felt the nervous terror set in and tears pull at the back of her eyes, she found the perfect one. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“S-... He isn’t here… He stood me up, and I was trying to do my best to just enjoy a meal and try to get past it all but…” Rhea shook her head as Seteth grew visibly uncomfortable. “I’m just going to go. Please, Seteth, don’t follow me.” Rhea said, storming out of the building, leaving Seteth in her place in line as he heard the sound of a man clearing his throat. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Hello, Father Arundel!” Seteth said, turning to face the man that towered over him, a heavy black jacket, collared shirt, and blinding white clergy collar around his neck. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Greetings, Father Seiros. I hope you were not waiting for me long.” Arundel said, slicking back his short cropped brown hair. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Not at all. I’d just gotten here recently myself. I was having a conversation with my sister and…” Seteth caught sight of Rhea as she passed one of the windows leeding outside, visibly wiping tears from her eyes. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>A door closed off to his side, and when Seteth looked at the sound on instinct if nothing else. A woman with long white hair pulled back into a tight bun, wearing a black blouse, matching slacks, and a red vest was stepping out of the restroom and looking visibly confused, until she caught a glimpse of the window, growing visibly outraged. Seteth wondered for a moment why the woman looked so familiar, and it struck him as her lilac eyes met his gaze, looking past him to Father Arundel before her entire face twisted in rage. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Could it be… no there was no way. What the hell would Edelgard Von Hresvelg be doing in Firdhiad? Let alone a respectable establishment like this?</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>More importantly, why was she storming toward the two of them?</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“What did you do, you fucking snake!?” Edelgard growled, grabbing Arundel by the lapel. Seteth stepped in to separate them but the glare from miss Hresvelg might as well have been a dagger, cutting him off mid sentence. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Excuse me young lady-” “Did I ask you a goddamn thing? No. Now shut the fuck up.” She turned back to Arundel, shaking the man by his jacket. “What the fuck did you do?” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“I assure you I have no idea what you’re talking about, Edelgard.” Arundel sneered in his most mocking of ‘assuring’ tones. “But I will ask you to unhand me now, or I will press charges and have you sent to rot among the dregs of some prison where you belong.” Edelgard shook her head, shoving Arundel back and wiping her hand off on her shirt as if she’d just touched something disgusting. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Burn in hell, you filthy fucking monster.” Edelgard snapped as she stormed off.</em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“What in the name of goodness was all of that, Father?” Seteth asked, helping Arundel straighten his jacket. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Nothing, young man, nothing but a poor lost soul who I failed to save.” Arundel lamented, the grief heavy in his voice. “I don’t blame her for what she does, it’s not her fault. The devil just had too tight of a grip on her for even I to have ever truly undone. Had I caught it earlier, she might have had a chance at a happy life, but now…” Seteth saw Arundel shake his head in shame. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Well, that is why we’re here today, isn’t it? To ensure no more souls are lost because of being found too late to save?” Seteth offered, and Arundel grew a massive grin. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Exactly! I’m glad you understand the goals of my program. So many can be so blind to the needs of their flock, it’s shameful, really.” Arundel said as they were beaconed to sit at the next available table. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Rhea sat in her car, wiping at her cheeks with a tissue from her glovebox when the passenger door was all but torn open, an absolutely terrified looking Edelgard taking her seat, reaching over the center console to cup Rhea’s cheek as she looked her over, as if looking for a bullet wound. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Babe, are you ok?! What happened? What did that fuckign snake do? I swear if he hurt you I’ll put him in a fucking casket.” Edelgard shot the questions off in such rapid succession that Rhea could only look at her wide eyed until she paused for a breath. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“El, El, sweetheart no one hurt me. I… I had a conversation with my brother, and I got scared. I made some nonsense excuse and I came here to wait for you. I’m sorry, El, but I can’t do this. I can’t be out like this right now… can we please just go home? We can get some Adrestian, watch a movie… I just need to be home right now.”  Rhea saw Edelgard look at her as if she’d just spoken dagdan, her brow furrowed in confusion for a moment before softening into a reassuring smile. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Of course… Are you ok to drive?” Rhea nodded, and Edelgard slid back into her seat as they readied for the drive back. About half way out of the parking lot, Rhea reached for Edelgard’s hand, feeling her squeeze it back, and for a moment, things felt right, they felt like they’d be ok. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Oh if only that moment could have lasted forever. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Flayn, mind being a doll and bringing this water to Dima?” Catherine asked, setting the class of ice water in front of the small green haired woman. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“W-why me?” Flayn asked, looking between the glass of water and the door to the stockroom, where Demeter’s music could be heard faintly through the walls. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Well, I can’t leave the bar unattended, especially not with Sylven sitting right there.” Catherine gives the redhead a playful glare, and Sylven looks confused until she realizes what's going on. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>‘Oh, oh yeah, no totally can’t trust me alone with the bar. Whole place’ll be just engulfed in flames in seconds. It ain’t pretty. You should have been here for Saint Cichol’s day, there was this horrifying accident with the dj and and a clown that-” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Thank you, Sylven. I think my point is proven.” Catherine cut in, making the redhead grin. Catherine looked at Flayn. “Come on, hun. Do me this favor and I’ll give you another drink on the house.” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“...Okay.” Flayn said nervously, taking the glass in her hand and walking to the back room. When she was gone, Hilda, Leonie, and the recently arrived Marianne all looked at her confused. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“What was all that about, you two?” Marianne asked, looking between Catherine and Sylven. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Oh nothing, just wanted to make sure Dema didn’t pass out from dehydration.” Catherine’s coy smile made it clear she was full of it. The three looked to Sylven instead. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Hey, that’s a valid concern, that damn woman sincerely can’t tell when her body’s telling her to take a break. She has to set an alarm on her phone every hour to drink water to not dry up like a raisin.” Hilda and Marianne looked equally unimpressed, but seeing as Leonie worked with the two of them, she knew Sylven at least wasn’t lying about that, but she also knew that Sylven was full of it. “... Oh come on, you saw those two earlier. They’re practically drooling over each other. The schoolgirl ended up straddling Dema in the damn parking lot when we first pulled in!” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Can confirm.” Shamir hollered from the entryway of the bar. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Oh dear god how did-’ Marianne was cut off by Sylven interrupting. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“How it happened isn’t important. Those two just are too stupid to do anything, so we might need to… nudge them along.” Sylven declared. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Call Flayn stupid one more time and I’ll beat your ass for the principle of it.” Catherine muttered. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Calm down, I didn’t mean it like that. Besides, it’s not like she’s your fuckin’ kid.” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“She’s as good as. That poor girl’s been coming to me and Shamir for help since before she was old enough to drink here.” Sylven opened her mouth before Catherine cut in. “I swear to the goddess if you make a milf joke-” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“Calm down! Shit, I was just going to say that’s really sweet of you. God damn. Not everything that comes out of my mouth is horny.” Sylven looked genuinely hurt and Catherine could only sigh, sliding her another beer. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>“On the house… sorry.” </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Flayn stepped through the door to the sound of music blaring from a small speaker set next to a toolbox. <em>“How lucky I ever was to see, The way that you smile at me - Your little moon face shining bright at me, One day soon there'll be nothing left of you and me.”<em> Demeter hums along to the song, heaving a crate off of the floor and walking it over to a stack on the other side of the room. </em></em></em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>She turns back as the song turns to the chorus. “Oh, uh, Flayn.” She says as she sees her standing there, glass still in hand. Flayn tries her best to keep her eyes locked with Demeter’s, but at some point over the hour or two she’d been back here, it seemed Demeter had taken off her shirt, leaving her in the plaster spackled pants, her boots,and a tank top that with all the sweat soaking it had become very, very, very clingy. It also gave Flayn a rather fantastic look at the massive tattoo adorning Demeter’s right arm, the mass of blue ink depicting a wolf whose snarling maw began just below Demeter’s wrist, and whose tail ended at her shoulder.“Is there something you need?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“You…” Flayn realized the word had slipped from her mouth before she’d thought of the rest of her sentence, and scrambled to get the rest out, as the pause after gave it a very different meaning then she’d intended. “Y-you’re probably thirsty, I mean I assumed. C-catherine thought so she sent me to, um...here!” Flayn stuffed the glass into Demeter’s hands, some of it spilling onto her front. “Oh dear, I’m so sorry!” Flayn was terrified, seeing the massive blotch of dampness on one of the few spots left dry on Demeter’s shirt. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Flayn, it’s fine. There’s no need to apologise.” Demeter said, wiping at the shirt, only to sigh. “It’s no big deal. I was going to have to swap my shirt eventually.” Demeter put the glass down, tugging her shirt over her head without a second's hesitation, before tossing it onto a small pile along with her overshirt and t-shirt, as well as some rather curious leather straps that were quickly covered by the damp tank top. Demeter rifled through her toolbox and pulled out a slightly more dirty but dry shirt. Flayn had to hold herself back from openly drooling as she watched the way Demeter's muscles shifted in her arms and abdomen as she was slipping the shirt on. "There, see? Good as new." Demeter said, smoothing out the wrinkled cotton. She picked the glass back up, downing the entirety of it in what couldn't have been more than two massive gulps, some of it trickling down her chin in a way that Flayn found honestly just cruel. "Guess I did need that a little more than I thought." Demeter chuckled, wiping her chin with the back of her hand. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Yeah, it seems like you're doing quite a bit of work back here." Flayn said, looking at the tools scattered on the floor, as well as just how much had been moved around. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Yeah. I told El I was happy to help. It's not very different from what I do for my job. Plus Ingrid wants to do her wedding here, eventually, so I figure in a roundabout way i’m helping two people close to me." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"You know Ingrid?" Flayn wanted to smack herself, what a stupid question. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Yup. Her family lived right next to mine and El’s, growing up. We were pretty close." Demeter said wistfully. Flayn thought she should leave her to her work, but she wanted to keep talking, to learn more about her. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"So you and Edelgard are… sisters?" Flayn looked at Demeter's blonde hair and blue eyes, clearly questioning. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Yes. By marriage, not blood. Er, well… I mean that’s not important. What I mean to say is her mother married my father when we were both kids. Although now… we're about all we have." Demeter chewed her cheek, and Flayn twiddled with her fingers. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"I'm sorry to hear that… family isn't an easy thing to lose."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"It's not. But it's worth it when that family wants to control you, more than support you." Demeter crossed her arms, leaning against a box. "So, you're in school?" </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Yeah, I'm trying to major in Library science, so I can transfer to a public university for my graduate program once I've got control over my own money. I want to be a librarian." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"That seems fitting." Flayn looked at her, confused and a bit protective. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"What is that supposed to mean?" </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Oh, I meant nothing by it. You're intelligent. I think you'd make a wonderful librarian." Demeter said it so plainly, as if it was something totally casual to say and not something that made Flayn's cheek feel like they were on fire. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em> "Well thank you." Demeter smiled at her, and Flayns eyes flitted to the tool box and back to her. "What made you decide to go into construction? You work with Sylven, and I know she is a brick… person." Flayn waved her hand, dismissing the name she couldn't remember. Demeter laughed, and the deep boom of it made Flayn's chest rattle. In a pleasant way, of course. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Mason. The word I think you're looking for is mason, or bricklayer. But close enough I suppose." Demeter explained. "I got into it because it was about my only option. I didn't have the forethought like El did to stash away funds, so I had basically nothing when I left. Sylven helped me get a job at the same company she worked at. They've got a strong union there, so the wages are fair."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Oh, I'm sorry that it was such a difficult… or well, not really a choice at all." Flayn clasped her hands in front of her, and felt like she'd completely bungled her attempt to have a happy conversation. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"It's ok. I'm happy with my life now, happier than I have ever really been. It isn't perfect… but it's mine." Demeter shrugged, chewing her cheek. “I um… I should probably get back to-” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Oh! Right. I’ll, um… I’ll leave you to it then.” Flayn said, looking around one more time and turning to the door. She was a step from it when she stopped at the sound of Dima’s voice.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Flayn… How late were you thinking of staying tonight?” Dema asked in a rapid jumble of words, the second Flayn turned back to face her however, the mountain of a woman looked as if she’d just stepped on a landmine and was waiting for it to explode. “I just mean I um… Y’know, nevermind. I’m sorry, that was a weird thing to ask.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I usually leave at 8:30… My dad doesn’t like me out past nine.” Flayn said, rubbing up the side of her arm nervously.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Ok. I was thinking I uh… I might finish up for the night pretty soon. Maybe when I’m done we could uh, I don’t know. Have a drink, talk a little more?” Flayn’s jaw dropped, until her brain finally began to work and she nodded furiously.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Yes!” Flayn spat out, a second later finally walking  back into the front room of the bar, just as the front door swung open. Rhea walked in, a bag from the local Adrestian take out spot hanging from her elbow as she moved toward the door up to Edelgard’s flat. Meanwhile Edelgard went to the bar. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Hey, wasn’t expecting you back so-” Catherine began, only to go quiet when she saw the utterly exhausted look on Edelgard’s face. “What’s up, boss?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I just told Shamir, and I'm letting you know too to keep an eye out. Anyone out of the ordinary, anything strange happens, she comes in, locks the door, and you come get me. You ‘in uniform’?” Edelgard asked. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Of course. Both of us are.” Catherine assured. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Good.” Edelgard said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Today has been a clusterfuck.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Want something to drink?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“No. I’d rather not spend my birthday shitfaced. But thanks, Cat.” Edelgard shook her head, walking to her door.  </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>About an hour later, Rhea and Edelgard were laid out across the couch, Rhea’s head on Edelgard’s chest. Rhea was only half watching the movie on the tv as she tried to silence the thousand different thoughts ringing through her mind. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“You didn't tell me you were taking me to a gay bar!” A blonde said to a dark haired woman, only for her to reply ‘Where else would we go?’. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Edelgard had taken off her blouse and vest, leaving her in an undershirt that had slid up over the course of the last half hour of their movie watching, exposing a sliver of her stomach which Rhea found herself idly dragging her finger along. There was a small tattoo along her right hip, a line of six stars, each one filled in with a color of the rainbow that Rhea remembered Edelgard mentioning having been her first tattoo. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Rhea knew she should say something. Edelgard had been tense all evening since they’d gotten back, and while it was such a small thing, what concerned Rhea most was the fact that El’s hand was resting, unmoving, on her shoulder. Whenever they curled up on the couch like they were now, Edeglard had always played with her hair. It really was silly, but it made the silence that much louder between them. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Eventually, the movie began to roll the credits, and Edelgard hit pause on the remote, leaving them in a nearly dark room, barely lit by the white of the text on screen.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“We should probably get ready for bed.” Edelgard muttered, and Rhea sat up to let her out from underneath her. Edelgard moved to the edge of her cushion, dragging her hands down her face. Rhea could see the very edge of the mask on Edelgard’s shoulder, a single piercing red eye looking into her soul. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I guess so…” Rhea said, her legs curled up underneath her. There was a long pause, neither of them quite moving, until Rhea cleared her throat and spoke again. “I’m sorry, El.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“You don’t have anything to be sorry for, Ray.” Edelgard said, pushing up on her knees to stand, walking toward the kitchen. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“But I do!” Rhea insisted. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t keep my word. It wasn’t fair to you, and I know it ruined your birthday. Don’t you dare insist otherwise either. You’ve been tense and quiet all night. I’m not an idiot, Edelgard.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“... Rhea, It’s really not that big of a deal.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“But it is!” Rhea exclaimed. “I told you we could go out for your birthday and then I said no at the very last second. I should’ve never promised you something like that.” Rhea didn’t notice the twitch of disappointment in Edelgard’s face at that as she kept speaking. “I’m sorry. I just… being with you these past few months has been wonderful, and I just wanted to do something to show you I love you, but I just couldn’t go through and I’m-” Rhea looked up to see Edelgard staring at her, jaw agape, and it took her a moment to process exactly what words had slipped from her mouth. “El, I-” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Get out.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Edelgard’s words hit Rhea with the force of a train as she stood from the couch, and Rhea’s heart fell into the pit of her stomach, and she felt as if she were about to vomit. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“W-what?” Rhea asked, looking at the shaking form of the woman she had just said she loved. Tears streamed down Edelgard’s cheeks as she spat the words out again. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Get. Out.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“El, why-” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Do not call me that!” Edelgard snapped, her voice cracking. “I won’t let someone who would so blatantly lie to my face use that name.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Edelgard, I’m not lying. ” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“That doesn’t help, Rhea! Do you not understand that that makes it worse?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Makes what worse? Edelgard you’re not making any sense.” Rhea stood, taking a step toward Edelgard, who stepped away from her, the raw pain in her eyes morphing into that same sharp fear, as if she expected Rhea to strike her. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“This… All of this.” Edelgard pointed between the two of them. “You and me? We don’t get to be that. I’m not going to go on, letting us pretend this is anything other than short term. That? Those words? Those only make it worse when this is done, and if you’d really inflict that pain on me, then clearly we need to be done. This needs to be done. You need to leave before this gets any fucking worse.” Edelgard said, pointing to the door. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Short term? Is that really all you want from… us?” Rhea choked out. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Rhea, there is no ‘us’. Not that could last. What I want doesn’t matter when I know it’s never going to happen. And I’m not going to sit here and torture myself trying to pretend I think we’ll be something real only to have you throw me to the wayside whenever you’ve finally had your fill.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Edelgard, you don’t think I’d-” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I don’t think, I know. What the hell else am I supposed to think, Professor?” The name struck out from Edelgard’s lips, and Rhea felt them like the sting of the flames of hell itself. “Am I really supposed to lie to your face and say that I believe you’ll ever be able to build something real with me? Build a fucking life together with a woman half your fucking age at the cost of your work, your church, and your own fucking brother? I may not have been fantastic at math in school, but even I can see that doesn’t fucking add up. I’m a good lay, but I’m not that good a lay! You couldn’t even go to dinner with me! And I’m supposed to feel bad for knowing that this was only ever going to be ‘a little fun’? Well I don’t. I might be the one saying it out loud, but I’m only saying what you’ve been telling me this entire fucking time. So quit lying to yourself, and damn well quit lying to me!” Edelgard turned away, walking toward the bedroom, and as she paused at the doorway, rhea felt the eyes of the mask on Edelgard’s shoulder staring daggers into her soul. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“El…” Rhea whimpered, and she heard the younger woman take a weak, shuddering breath. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Leave, Rhea. Please.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Catherine looked over the bar, through the window onto the back patio, where Flayn and Dememter had been for nearly half an hour now, talking about Goddess only knew what. But Flayn seemed happy, and Catherien was happy for her.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“You think they’ll actually turn into something?” Sylven asked, looking at the same pair Catherine was. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I don’t know, I hope so. They both deserve something good in their lives.” Catherine said, shaking her head. She went to clean the bar while she had a moment, and just as she was touching her rag to the countertop, the door to Edelgard’s flat burst open, and an openly sobbing Rhea fled out the front door, past Shamir and to her car.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Catherine made it to the door as Rhea was leaving the parking lot, and Flayn and Demeter came in from the back. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“What was that? I heard slamming and someone crying.” Flayn asked, fear creeping into her voice, one of her hands gripping the sleeve of Demeter’s shirt. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“It was your aunt.” Shamir said, without any hesitation. Everyone looked around, confused, until after what couldn’t have been more than a few minutes, they heard the creak of a stair, and a second later a blank faced Edelgard stepped out of the doorway, not acknowledging a soul as she walked around the bar, and grabbed a pint glass and a bottle of vodka. She filled the glass to almost overflowing, setting the liquor aside as she picked up her glass and, still wordlessly, began back to her door. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Edelgard, what is going on?” Demeter asked. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“None of your fucking buisiness, Dema.” Edelgard snapped, taking a long sip from her glass. She began back toward the door, pausing as one hand fell on the nob, and looked to Flayn. “Please know that you still are, and will always be welcome here, Flayn. No matter anything else, you can always feel safe here.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Edelgard slammed the door behind her, and a moment passed where everyone seemed too stunned to speak. Demeter looked to Sylven and then to Flayn, before finally looking to Catherine. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Cat, we should-” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Already on it.” Catherine said, pressing a couple of buttons on her phone before pressing it to her ear. There was a few seconds of quiet, before Catherine spoke again. “Yeah, hey Dorothea, sorry to bother you but I um, I think we’re going to need you here, like asap… I don’t know, all I know is Rhea ran out of the bar crying, and like five minutes later Edelgard walks down, pours out a fucking pint glass full of Adrestian courage, and… no, like a full pint glass. I wish I was making this up, but I think we’re going to need your help here… Thanks, yeah, see you soon.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Dorothea smashed her fist against Edelgard’s apartment door, rattling the entire frame. She’d already been there for five minutes, and she had no intention of going anywhere. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Edelgard von Hresvelg I am not leaving this goddamn door until you open it! You know I’ll stay here all night just out of spite, now open up!” Dorothea hollered, kicking the door and wincing a bit. She should know better than trying to kick things in flats. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>It was several more minutes of banging on the door before there was a half intelligible reply from the other side, and the door finally swung open. Edelgard’s hair was down, messy and splayed everywhere over her shoulders. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Dorothea, for fuck’s sake, you’re going to break my door down.” Edelgard muttered, and the slur in her words was obvious. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Maybe you should’ve worried about that before making Catherine call me on my night off.” Dorothea crossed her arms, stepping past Edelgard into the apartment. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I didn’t make Catherine do shit. She’s the one who decided me telling them all to leave it alone wasn’t good enough reason to fucking do just that.” Edelgard left the door open, walking back to the couch and dropping down onto it, her boots on the table as she picked up the over half consumed glass of spirits. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Edelgard, what happened? You haven’t drank like this in months.” Dorothea’s voice carried worry that seemed to almost hurt Edelgard. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Can’t a woman just have a fucking drink after a bad day? God damn.” Edelgard muttered. When Dorothea snatched the cup from her hands, Edelgard barely had time to register what she was doing, let alone try and stop her. Dorothea dumped the glass into the sink, walking back with it full of water and setting it back where it had been. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Drink that, you idiot. You’re going to have a hangover fit to kill if you don’t start rehydrating now.” Edelgard shook her head. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“The fuck’s it matter?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“It matters to me, because I won’t have your crabby ass being a bitch all day tommorow because you fucked up and decided to see if you could drink half a lethal serving of liquor instead of deal with whatever the fuck happened between you and Rhea.” Again, the name seemed to leave Dorothea’s lips and bury itself like a dagger into Edelgard. “What the hell happened, El?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Nothing that’s any of your business. The hell do you care what goes on in my fucking life anyway?” Edelgard spat, pushing herself up and moving to step past Dorothea toward her bedroom. Doro grabbed Edelgard’s arm, and she yanked it away without even thinking, stumbling back into the wall, barely staying standing, her eyes a hazy, half-focused mask of rage. “Don’t. Touch me.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Edelgard…” Dorothea said softly, stepping closer to her friend. “I need you to talk to me. You. Put the Emperor away, and let me try to help you.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I don’t need your help.” Edelgard spat, not moving from her perch against the wall. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Don’t need it, or are you just afraid that you might need it and not have it there?” Dorothea prodded, and Dorothea saw tears forming in the corner of Edelgard’s eyes, that sharpness fading away. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“F-fuck you.” Edelgard whimpered. It seemed the sadness had overtaken her rage, as she collapsed onto the ground, clutching at her head as she sobbed.  Dorothea walked to her, kneeling down and pulling Edelgard into a hug. She tried to help her calm down for a few minutes, until Edelgard finally started to talk. “She said she loved me…” Edelgard sobbed into the fabric of Dorothea’s cardigan. “She couldn’t even sit with me in a fucking resturaunt for an hour for my fucking birthday. It just hurt. I’d wanted to say it for weeks now, but at least I knew that we couldn’t last! I was happy to just let it play out, keep it simple and try to make it not hurt as much when she left, but no. She just had to fucking ruin it, and then act like I was the fucking bad guy for not wanting to believe she’d treat me like her dirty little fucking secret if she really loved me! I just can’t do it anymore. I couldn’t keep lying to myself that this was ever going to work, that I’d ever mean anything to her beyond being a good lay that she didn’t have to worry about outing her.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I’m sorry that you had to face all of that El. You deserve to feel like you’re worth more than what you do for someone… but this isn’t how you do that. You’ve spent all your time trying to make this bar into somewhere others feel safe, but what good is all of that if you just sit in your apartment and destroy yourself? You can’t burn yourself alive just to keep others warm, El, but you also can’t do it just because you’re afraid of the cold.” Dorothea said after Edelgard’s sobs had begun to slow. Edelgard shook her head. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I don’t know what else to do…” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Edelgard, you need help. More help than any of us can give you. You need to heal, to let yourself grow and actually move forward.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I… I can’t. I shouldn’t even be here. Why do I get to move on? Why do I get to live?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“El, what happened to Lysithea wasn’t your fault. Please, just… promise me you’ll try.” Edelgard took a long, rattling breath before giving a feeble nod. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>She’d try. If there was a chance she could finally feel better… she’d try. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Rhea's eyes creep open as the blare of her alarm wakes her from her empty, restless sleep. She slams her hand on her phone, fumbling to turn off the alarm only to groan and finally fling the phone, still beeping it's happy little tune, across the room. Her bed, no matter how warm it felt under the mountain that was her down comforter, was cold as she sits up in it. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Every morning for the past two weeks, she'd woken up in that same bed, cold, tired, and alone. She had hoped that after some time, she'd get used to it, but each night that passed that prospect felt even less likely. What a wonder it was that the bar, and more importantly the women within it, to have made themselves such a part of her life in only two months that now she felt as if her life had crumbled with it all gone. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Rhea climbs out of bed, dragging open the drawer of her dresser, half full and not likely to get any fuller any time soon. She grabs a dress and a sweater, and makes her way to the shower. She crawls in as the water beats down on her, and she finds herself saddened by the comfortable warmth that accompanied the water. There was no soreness in her muscles to relieve, just the weight of exhaustion unlikely to pass. She had never thought she could crave the sting of a stray spray of water hitting a lovingly left bruise somewhere on her chest. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>The water stops and she steps out, wrapping a towel around her midsection and drying her hair. She dresses without much pomp or circumstance. The dress is a cream white, hanging just past the knee with a thick black belt around her waist. She puts a cream colored cardigan over top of the dress, and slips on a pair of flats before grabbing her keys and purse from the table. She prays that today will be better than the days before it, but as she opens the door to see a familiar stern-faced brunette, that hope quickly abates. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Dorothea! What are you doing here?" Rhea manages to say, after nearly jumping out of her skin at the sight of the woman. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"I think we need to talk, and you’ve been ignoring my, Catherine, and Shamir’s calls. May I come in?" Rhea nods. "Thank you." Dorothea says, stepping past her into the home. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Dorothea, listen I need to be leaving soon, I can't be late for work, so please just make this quick." Dorothea leans back against Rhea's kitchen counter, it was small and quaint, the same one where she’d tutored Seteth in math when he was in middle school. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Cry me a river. Your students can miss ten minutes of their regularly scheduled lesson on hating themselves." Dorothea says it as if in a reflex. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Excuse me?" </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Perhaps that was a bit rude, but I’m not going to apologize. I see enough students from your school pass through Flannel to know I’m right. Rhea, why have you been avoiding us?" Dorothea presses, her look concerned, but critical.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I thought that all was rather obvious.” Rhea says, looking away. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“You know damn well that your being welcome at Flannel never was, is, or will be dependent on you sleeping with Edelgard. But even then, that doesn’t explain why you’ve been dodging our calls, when you know that we wouldn't push you on something like this.”  </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Isn’t that why you’re here now?” Dorothea rolls her eyes at Rhea’s question. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“No, it’s not.  I'm not here to try and convince you to get back with El. In my honest opinion, you don't deserve her, after the shit you've pulled. That girl has been through enough without some cradle robbing closet case like you making her feel like a dirty secret.” Rhea winces at the words as they carve into still-fresh wounds, but Rhea can’t say they’re wrong. Dorothea shakes her head and sighs. “I’m sorry, that was a bit… needlessly cruel. It’s not entirely on you that this all happened like it did. But at least Edelgard has been trying to do better, instead of avoiding everyone trying to support her.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I’m sorry.” Rhea says. “El… is she ok?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“She’s… she’s going through a lot. You’re not even the tip of the iceberg for that girls issues, and if there’s one good thing that’s come out of all this, it’s that she finally listened to me about getting help.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Dorothea?” Rhea asks with a moment’s hesitation. There was a question two months in the making that she had to know, and this might be her last chance to ask. “Why did you and Edelgard stop seeing each other? Edelgard mentioned you two dated when she first bought Flannel… what happened?” Dorothea chews her cheek for a moment, eyeing Rhea up as if she’s trying to decide if she’s even worthy of knowing that sort of thing. But eventually, her judgement subsides, and she lets out a long sigh before answering.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“The Emperor. That’s what happened.” Rhea is beyond confused, and it’s clear that Dorothea realizes that. “Me and El were friends before she left her family. Her and Demeter were pretty newly 21, I’m only a year and a half older then Dema, two older than El, so we all were pretty good friends. Edelgard back then was… well she was like she acted the past few months. She was an idiot, but she was funny, she at least tried to be nice, and she was quick to make friends, and more…” Rhea understood the meaning behind that distinction, but it’s clear Dorothea is only starting. “But… then she and Byleth got caught together. And everything went to hell. El said her family had flown in to deal with her ‘behavioral issues’, and they were all staying in some swanky rent-a-mcmansion on the outskirts of the city… there’s a lot of programs for ‘troubled youth’ that specialize in dealing with people deemed a ‘flight risk’. One of those tactics is to just show up, in the middle of the night, and drag them from their bed so they can’t run. All I know is that later that night, Demeter comes running into the bar screaming for help, with a massive gash across her eye and blood dripping from her face. The couple that owned Flannel before, Allison and Jack Brinker, did their best to patch her up, and she told us that someone had taken El. Dema found her, eventually, but that kind of thing changes you. Where El had been brash and bold, she was skittish, to the point if the stereo in the bar played music too loud she’d jump out of her skin. She was always tired, always ready for some fight that never came, always thinking of the worst case scenario… All those things became their own kind of mask, something that Edelgard wore to make herself feel safe, I suppose. I started calling that ‘mask’ the Emperor back when we were still together, it made sense at the time, but… as much as i wanted to be there for her and support her, I spent more time with the Emperor then I ever did Edelgard. She was always looking over her shoulder, always looking at the world like it was one massive threat… She was a lot like you now, scared.” Dorothea looks at her, brow furrowed in some mix of aggravation and uncertainty. “Rhea, why are you still working at that damned school?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Because I need to be able to live, Dorothea, and for that I need an income." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"And so a paycheck is worth selling your soul to a school and a church that doesn't give a damn about you? That actively teaches women like us to hate themselves?"  Rhea bristles at Dorothea's point. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"We can't all be so philosophical about making a living." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"This isn't about being philosophical, Rhea. It's about not putting legions more women through the same fucking meat grinder that tore you apart and led to you being in your forties, not even able to admit what you are, and petrified to step out into public with a woman you claim to love.<br/>Name a damn thing in this life of yours worth the fact you have to pretend to be someone you're not. In any sane world, this ‘fake it til you make it’ bit you’re trying to pull by ignoring all of us would be labeled a type of self harm."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Rhea sighs and shakes her head. "Why are you doing this, Dorothea? What harm does it do to you for me to just live my life?" </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"For one thing, it hurts me to see someone I'd like to consider a friend clearly hurting, and I’m not talking about Edelgard. You look like hell, Rhea, and I can tell you feel even worse. I’m here because I care about you, because me, Cat, Shamir, Flayn, we all care about you, the real you, not some version of you you have to hide behind. Let us help you find a way onto your feet that lets you be yourself. You don’t even have to go through with it, just let us help you see the options you have." Dorothea’s pleas are a whisper, but the words are still far too loud. Rhea knows it's true, but having it said… that was another demon entirely. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"I just… I can't." Rhea whispers back. "I can't just walk away. Just the thought of it is terrifying." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Don't you think I know that? That all of us know that? Rhea, every woman in that bar, including your niece, has to face that same decision eventually. It's scary, there's no argument there, and it never stops being scary. Do you have any idea how many women in Flannel carry a gun on them because of the shit we have to deal with? It’s not just Edelgard… But I promise you, from my own experience, living as yourself, even if it costs you your family, even if it costs you being thrown into the streets… It's far less terrifying than pretending you’re someone you’re not. At least being honest with yourself, you have a community to watch your back. Hiding only makes it so the choice isn't yours of when it’s found out, and lets you spend however long your act lasts in constant terror of when it’ll finally fall apart." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"I know." </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"Then quit being a jackass. What's the point of living a life that isn't yours? Even if you aren't ready to be out, it's dangerous to try and bury it all like you’re doing right now. It can and will kill you if you let it.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Rhea’s phone blared in her purse, and she pulled it out to see that it was twenty minutes until her class began. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“... Can I have some time to think this over?” Dorothea smiles at her and nods. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Of course. You have my number, just… do what you think is best for you, Rhea.” Dorothea tackles her in a hug, and the two went their separate ways.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Rhea manages to finish her first lecture right on time, even if she had arrived a few minutes late. But now she walks through the halls of the Academy she had once loved so dearly, Seteth walking along with her rambling about who knew what kind of nonsense, and she finds herself wondering why the building feels so much more like a prison to her now then any kind of home. Seteth’s tirade goes on and on, but his words may as well pass through one ear and out the other as Rhea walks with him. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“-I really just don’t know what has gotten into Flynn, as of late. He’s been stubborn, talking back, and he spends all damned day on that phone texting someone he refuses to tell me about. Not to mention... I worry he has come under a bad influence, but all he’s been doing as of late is working on his projects... At least that’s what he says. I ran into young mister Cyril in the hallway last week, and when I asked about the assignment Flynn has been so vocal about, he looked as if I’d grown a second head... I just don’t know what to do. I think I might have to keep a closer eye on him and… Rhea, are you listening to me?” Rhea snaps from her daze and sees Seteth standing in her way, his arms crossed, clearly annoyed. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Um, yes. Yes I was. Sorry Seteth, I was just pondering what you said. I uh, I believe you have a good read on it all, and you seem to have a good idea of how to solve your issue with, um..” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Flynn?” Seteth asks, blatantly aware that Rhea had no idea what they were talking about. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Y-yes, Fla-Flynn!” Rhea catches herself mid-name and clears her throat to cover the mistake. “If you’ll excuse me brother, I think i’ll need to return to my classroom.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Oh, no, wait just a moment. At least walk alongside me, we’ll get to your classroom soon enough.” Seteth assured, gesturing to his path, in the exact opposite direction of her class. But, she knew it was simpler to just let him win. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Fine, but it will be time for me to prepare my next lecture soon, so lets try not to amble on too far.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Oh, I assure you we’ll get to your class in plenty of time.” Seteth said with an oddly excited grin. However it seemed to falter as they walked on. "How have you been, Rhea? I don't mean this as any kind of insult but you've seemed rather… withdrawn lately. I know I put my foot in my mouth rather deep at the restaurant a few weeks ago, but I hope you know I meant nothing by asking."</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>"It's fine, Seteth. Really, I'd prefer we just dropped the topic entirely. But yes, I'm fine." Seteth's expression leaves little doubt, he saw right through her. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“So I suppose you’ve not heard from your date that night since?” Rhea groans at Seteth’s further investigation. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“No, Seteth. They haven’t. And I really would rather you quit prying into my romantic affairs. If I want your opinion, I assure you, I will come to you.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Surely I’m hardly ‘prying’. I see so little of you, of most of our family in honesty, and when I do see you you hardly say a word about your life. I do what I do out of love, Rhea, you know that.” Seteth clears his throat in the middle of his point, and seems to slow, looking a bit confused. He clears his throat a bit louder, and Rhea hears shifting around the corner. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Are you feeling well, Seteth?” Rhea asks as she sees a man in khaki pants and a polo shirt walk around the corner, visibly not wanting to be where he is. Rhea has no idea what Seteth has put together, but the fact he dragged poor Alois into his scheme makes Rhea beyond aggravated. He was one of the few coworkers Rhea could actually stand.</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Oh of course. Absolutely brilliant.” Seteth tries to be subtle as he speeds up, bumping into Alois’s shoulder as he walks far too close to Seteth’s path for how much space there is unoccupied in the hallway. “Oh! Professor Eisner, I’m so sorry. Clumsy me.” Seteth gives one of the most forced chuckles Rhea thinks she has ever heard, and Alois gives one that quickly tops it on that list as he looks between the two of them.  </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Think nothing of it, Father. Now if you’ll excuse me-” Alois is stopped in his attempt to walk away by Seteth’s quick response. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Say, Professor, did you ever end up finding someone to take up your spare ticket to the Goddess Grace festival next weekend?” Rhea wants to scream and smash her head against the wall the moment the sentence leaves Seteth’s lips. She knows exactly where this is going, as Alois’s expression is visibly apologetic. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“No, you know, I haven’t. But I really should be-” Seteth turns to Rhea, a look of faux sudden inspiration striking him. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Rhea, you’re quite the fan of music, you ought to accompany Professor Eisner! Some proper, faithful music and good company might do wonders to lift your spirits!” Rhea knows Seteth won’t drop the matter until she says yes, he was a stubborn mule at his best, and this was clearly not that. She thinks it best to save her and Alois the suffering of whatever sham of a ‘coincidence’ Seteth will try to arrange if she were to follow her gut instinct and flee down the hallway. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I… That sounds like a lovely idea, Seteth.” Rhea chokes out through a forced grin. Seteth looks utterly smug at the ‘success’ of his plan, and beams as he speaks. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Wonderful! You two can discuss the specifics. I must be off. Father Arundel should be arriving for today’s meeting any moment now.” Seteth turns and walks the complete opposite direction he had been leading her just moments prior, and Rhea waits until he’s out of earshot to groan in embarresment. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Alois, I’m so unbelievably sorry for my brother’s dragging you into this scheme of his.” Rhea says, and Alois cackles in laughter. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Oh Rhea, think nothing of it. I should be apologizing for even letting him drag me into it. But It’s a little hard to say no when your boss tells you to go along with something like that.”Alois beacons her to follow as he walks, again the opposite direction he had been heading, and around the corner to the door of his own classroom. It’s empty, and Rhea lets the door close behind her as he leans back against his desk.  “Although honestly, I almost lost it in the middle there. The Father is many things, observant is not one of them.” Alois says with a shake of his head, and when Rhea looks at him confused, he seems to have a realization of his own. “Oh! You don’t… Ok no, yeah I can see why that might seem weird without context. I was just saying he didn’t quite get that he was putting the wrong pony into the wrong show.” Rhea looks still confused. “Had the wrong dog barking up the wrong tree?” Alois tries, and still Rhea has no idea what he means. He looks as if he’s in physical pain as he tries to think of another. “Uh, I don’t know. ‘Tried to give a rabbit who likes carrots to a wolf who likes beaver’?” When that one fails, Alois is the one to groan. “Oh for goodness’ sake, hold on a minute… There, does that help things?” Alois asked, holding up a phone to show him and another man, a blonde with a rather strange haircut and a scraggly goatee, stood in matching suits  in front of a makeshift altar in what appeared to be a forest. Rhea wondered to herself why a groom and his best man would be standing on opposite sides of an alter-</em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Oh!” Rhea exclaims as it hits her like a freight train. Alois nods and puts his phone away. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“There we go, you’re getting it now. Do you see why I found it so funny when your brother thought to set us up?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I can see why, yes… Although I’m curious how you knew that I was…” Rhea pauses, chewing on the word that can’t quite leave her lips. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“A lesbian?” Alois offers, and Rhea pauses for a second before giving a nod yes. “Sweetheart, what your brother lacks in perception, you lack in subtlety. You’ve been stinking up the halls with the smell of Hayley Kyoko albums, combat boots and mommy issues every morning for months.”Rhea didn’t quite believe him, but Alois sees that his joke obviously hadn’t landed, and gives his honest answer. “I recognized Edelgard’s jacket when you wore it in a few months back. She wore it while helping bartend for me and my choir friends the month before, and a while later my daughter heard through the grapevine that Edelgard was seeing some mysterious older woman. I might be a history teacher but I’m smart enough to do the math there.”  </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Your daughter? I wasn’t aware you had a child.” Alois looked absolutely shocked. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Rhea, she was your student for a year and your T.A for two?” Alois said, flabbergasted. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Byleth?!” Rhea asks incredulous. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Yes!” Alois exclaims, shaking his head. “She’s Jeralt’s by blood, but i’ve been helping raise that little hellion since she was shorter than my knee. Her last name is literally Eisner, how did you miss that?! Oh my goodness, you and Edelgard are perfect for eachother. I swear, you’re both absolutely oblivious.” Alois sees Rhea’s demeanour sour at the mention of Edelgard, and again does the math very quickly. “Oh no, that’s why Seteth was saying you were so down lately, isn’t it?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“In part, yes…” rhea murmers. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Oh dear, I’m so sorry. What happened?” Rhea sighs and gives him the story. What starts as a quick explanation turns into her pacing back and forth, venting out the entirety of the hell she’s been in with the past few weeks, and the lead up to it. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“-but Seteth was there and he wasn’t going away and I just was too damned scared to even wait for her to get out of the bathroom. I made up some nonsense story about a man that has never even existed standing me up and ran out sobbing, and then I told her I loved her not three hours later! Then she just breaks down, and tells me how she feels like my ‘dirty little secret’, and the worst part is I can’t even fault her for it. I let my own damned fear of being found out ruin the first relationship I ever had, and I don’t even know if I can call it that because of my own jackassery!” Rhea collapses into a chair, taking a long breath and shaking her head. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Wow… There is a lot to unpack there.” Alois says, scratching at the back of his head. “I thought me and Jeralt were a bit odd because I’ve had to tell coworkers who saw us out together he was my uncle to avoid suspicion… but that’s a whole other topic. What do you think you’re going to do?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“I have no idea. In all likelihood, my relationship with Edelgard is destroyed, but I can’t figure out what to do about everything else… How do you do it? You’re married to a man, how do you manage to survive all of this?” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“Well, no one really asks many questions about a man’s personal life. The closest i’ve ever come to being found out was during a paperwork shuffle for Byleth’s admission to the Academy. But, I managed to fake a decent enough story to convince them the reason she was listed as having two fathers was because I’d adopted her, and so it was listing both myself and her biological father on her records. It wasn’t technically a lie, everyone just assumes that I married Byleth’s mom. It’s amazing how good people are at missing something when they actively don’t want to see it. But if you mean from a ‘relationship’ perspective, to put it simply I don’t altar my behavior to suit this place. I’ll lie my ass off if someone sees us out and about, but I work over at Firdhiad State as well. The Academy has great benefits, but at the end of the day it could vanish in an instant and yeah it would be rough, but i’d survive. To say it plain, I survive by making sure that at the end of the day, my family is who comes first.” Rhea sighs as Alois mentions family. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“That’s just the issue… What I want and what my family wants for me are diametrically opposed.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
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    <em>
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        <em>“Family isn’t about just your kin, Rhea. Family is who you can trust to love and support you when you’re at your lowest. It’s the people that make you feel at home, even when you’re way outside your comfort zone. Whether that’s blood, a friend, a partner or a fuckbuddy, it’s up to you, but if your blood isn’t willing to stand by you when you do what is best for you, then take my advice, and drop them like they’d drop you. I mean… ok, let me put it like this, I’m unsure if you’ve seen Byleth around Flannel at all with her wife. They’ve been pretty busy as of late, but if you have, you’d know that Manuela is… let’s say ‘a little bit older’ than Byleth. I’ll be honest, first time I met Manuela, I was suspicious. Jeralt’s definitely older than me but Byleth and her were just too different for me not to be a little suspicious. Did I love that Byleth was dating a woman that much older than her? Fuck no, I got drunk off my ass on red wine and spent the rest of the night once they’d left calling Manuela a vampiric whore, but I supported Byleth in her right to know what was best for herself, and made sure she knew that if things did go wrong, that I’d be there for her along with her father. Now, Manuela is sincerely one of my favorite people, and she makes Byleth as happy as I’ve ever seen that girl before. That’s what family does, not dump you to flounder the moment you step out of line with them… Besides, I know for a fact your brother’s idea of what’s best for you isn’t the unanimous vote of all your family. At least, I would hope your niece’d have a slightly more positive opinion of you coming out.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“She did make some, in hindsight rather accurate, statements to such an effect before everything fell apart… But I just don’t know what to do about my job.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“You know… I might just have an idea.” </em>
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        <em>Edelgard wipes a tear from her cheek, taking in a slow shuddering breath as she looks up at Manuela. She has the same expression that she’s worn every single time Edelgard has come to her this past month, one of utter astoundment at just how much worse it could possibly get, how much worse it had gotten for her. </em>
      </em>
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    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“So… yeah.” Edelgard begins after a long silence. “I um… I spent the rest of that night and the next day nursing my hangover, and Catherine told me I was cut off… Then I came to my first session with you, and now… well we see how that turned out.” </em>
      </em>
    </em>
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  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>“It sounds like you’ve certainly been through a lot. You haven’t said much about what has happened since you started coming to see me. Would you care to?” Manuela asks, chin resting in her hands. </em>
      </em>
    </em>
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        <em>“I mean there hasn't been much. It's just been life, you know? Shit happens, shit gets fixed." Edelgard says in as uninterested a voice as such a non-answer would need. But when Manuela's gaze makes it clear she isn't content with it, Edelgard sighs and shakes her head. "I’ve been trying to do the stuff you said. I quit drinking.” Edelgard laughs, shaking her head. “Now me and Flayn get to split Shirley Temples whenever I sit at the bar. Damn girl has shown me a whole world of mocktails. I’ve also been taking the uh, meds you prescribed.” </em>
      </em>
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        <em>“Have they been helping?” Manuela asks, and she gets a nod in reply. </em>
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        <em>“Yeah, a lot actually. I’ve been sleeping better, not as many nightmares. I haven’t been feeling as angry, as I used to. I don’t check for my shotgun by my bed before I go to sleep anymore, I even started leaving it under the bar some nights, which is a lot. I don’t flinch as much when I hear loud noises, either. It still happens. Some days are worse than others, some are better. But… I feel a lot better.” Edelgard says, looking up at Manuela and giving a smile. </em>
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        <em>“That’s good. How are you feeling about your and your lady-friend’s breakup?” Manuela asks, the lack of a name stemming mostly from Edelgard having not once mentioned the woman’s name, even though she had a relatively good idea of who it was from some of the stories she had heard in the past from Byleth. “I know that you were having a lot of conflicting feelings during the first session of last week, but you haven’t said much since.” </em>
      </em>
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        <em>“I… I still miss her. There are mornings when I’ll wake up and roll over to try and cuddle up with her, then i just realize that… she’s not there. I still haven’t done anything with her stuff. I can’t find the strength to call her and ask if she wants it back, but I don’t want to just throw it away. But even with all of that, I’ve been trying to think about what you said. Trying to remember that our breakup wasn’t all my fault, to not blame myself for reacting how I did, even if I could have reacted better.”</em>
      </em>
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        <em>“You’re giving yourself grace, forgiving yourself.” Menaula offers, to a noncommital shrug as her reply. </em>
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        <em>“I guess. I thought about contacting her, trying to… to talk about giving things another chance, but I don’t think I’m the one who should make that first step. I need Rhea to show me that our relationship really meant something to her, that she’s willing to put that work in, to put herself in an uncomfortable position and not just expect me to bend over backwards for her at every turn. I… I need her to show me that I mean more to her than just being her dirty little secret. Anyone I am going to put the time in to love, needs to be willing to show me that same love and effort." Edelgard recites it like a prayer, and from where she was just weeks prior, Manuela’s quite impressed. </em>
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  <em>
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        <em>"I'm glad to hear that you're allowing yourself to not just acknowledge your needs, but set boundaries to ensure they're met." </em>
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        <em>"Thanks… it feels weird, but I know it's what I need to do." </em>
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        <em>"It will come with time." Manuela looks to her watch. "Speaking of which, it appears our time today is up. Would you like to continue twice a week, or shift to once a week and see how you feel?"</em>
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        <em>"I think I'd rather stick with two right now... Maybe a few more weeks and I can think about one." Edelgard says, and Manuela makes a note of it </em>
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</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
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        <em>"I will mark you down for your usual time slots, then. Until I see you next week, I'd like to assign you another piece of 'homework'." </em>
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        <em>"Hit me with it, doc." Edelgard says, her elbows propped on her knees, the thick black denim of her jeans contrasting almost comically with the purple pattern of her half unbuttoned shirt and the tanktop underneath it, although the thick leather jacket she’s wearing over top of that meshes well enough. </em>
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        <em>"I want you to make an effort to be honest about your feelings with yourself, or others if you feel it necessary. However that looks to you, whether you want to journal it out, or just take time to think about your feelings before reacting to them, I want you to let yourself feel whatever it is that comes to you over the next few days, and not try and hide it or push it back. Don't act on them foolishly, of course, but let them come, let them go, and then tell me how it went the next time I see you. Can you do that?" </em>
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        <em>Edelgard runs a hand through her hair. It's shorter now, having been chopped to hang just below her cheekbones after a week or two single. She had thought it good to make a gesture of change, given how much things seemed to be wanting to do that whether she liked it or not. She lets the strands fall in a loose mess to either side and nods. "Yeah… I can do that." </em>
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        <em>"Wonderful. I look forward to seeing you next week then." Edelgard bid Manuela goodbye, walking out of the office as she heard a phone ring behind her, and Manuela speaking again. “Hi sweety… No, you called at the perfect time, I'm just wrapping up…” </em>
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        <em>With a polite wave to Ingrid behind the front desk, Edelgard walks out to her truck, a behemoth of a red rustbucket that's older than her by half a decade at least. The door hinge creaks like the gates of hell when she throws it open and hops in, sitting on upholstery that’s more duct tape than fabric. </em>
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        <em>There's an open tape case on the dashboard, and a poorly hand drawn Adrestian eagle greets her as she turns the key. A moment later the radio sparks to life. The tape picks up where it had left off, the tail end of 'Haunting, Haunted, Haunts' bleeding into the soft guitar of the next song, and Edelgard feels the smile creep to her lips before she even starts driving. As she gets out of the parking lot, she's already tapping her foot to the beat when it's not on the clutch, and not even a few verses in she's humming along. </em>
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          <em>"And I-I, had a feeling that I belong. And I-I, had a feeling I, could be someone, could be someone..."<em> Edelgard mumbles along with the track. But as the song edges toward the last few verses, she's suddenly reminded of just how sad this particular track really is. It's not very applicable to her, she knows that, but there's something in the way the song is sung that makes her relate to it far more then made any kind of sense. Maybe it was just the knowledge it was another woman singing about a woman she'd loved and might lose, but that question has far too much philosophy about it for Edelgard to even begin pondering. She feels her hand moving to the radio to press fast forward, but she catches herself, instead realizing this likely isn't going to be fun. But she had told Manuela she'd try. </em></em>
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            <em>The song keeps playing, and as it shifts into the dreaded verse Edelgard's humming turns into singing along. "<em>You got a fast car, I got a job that pays all our bills, You stay out drinking late at the bar, See more of your friends than you do of your kids-I'd always hoped for better, Thought maybe together you and me would find it, I got no plans, I ain't going nowhere, So take your fast car and keep on driving."<em></em></em></em>
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                <em>Tears sting at the corners of her eyes, and Edelgard lets her focus stay on the road as she drives, no focus left to push the feelings away. They're filthy, startlingly bright things that feel like pale tar being dredged from the pit of her stomach, but she's had enough of stewing in them. She wants to let some of them out, and they leak down her cheek as she belts out the rest of the song. <em>"So I remember when we were driving, driving in your car! Speed so fast, I felt like I was drunk! City lights lay out before us, And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder! And I-I, had a feeling that I belonged, I-I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone. You got a fast car, Is it fast enough so you can fly away? You gotta make a decision, leave tonight or live and die this way…"<em> Edelgard finishes belting out the last line, pulling to a stop at an intersection. The stop sign is a convenient excuse to pause, as she buries her face in her hands and sobs. </em></em></em>
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                    <em>She misses her Ray of Sunshine. She's misses her so goddess-damn much, and it hurt that she was gone. But even in that she feels conflicted. </em>
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                    <em>She loved Rhea. She had from the first few days they'd spent together just months ago, and she knew she loved her still. But she felt so angry at herself for letting their relationship move so far without addressing the bull in the room, ready to tear it all apart in a moment. </em>
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                    <em>She didn't even know what she wanted out of her life, in truth she'd stopped trying to think about that a long time ago in favor of pure survival, with herself being as big a threat to her life as anyone else around her. She thought for so long that she could outlive those urges, outlast that pain and come out on the other side with some idea of how to live, but that never happened. She had wanted to die for so long she hadn't thought of what she wanted to do with her life, but she knew she didn't want what had been. She knew now that, at the very least she wanted to try and live. To try and build something of her life and not just protect those around her until something finally killed her. She wanted to build that life with Rhea. For however long, she had no idea. It could last forever, or it might not work out. It could last a year and then just not be the same, and it would suck but she could live with that. </em>
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                    <em>But she wouldn't be kept around like some living vibrator, hidden away whenever she wasn't helping Rhea get off. She knew that wasn't all it had been. Rhea had all but officially moved in with her at a speed that would've made Ingrid jealous, and it was clear she wanted more than what they had been too, but whether by intention or by her own fear, Rhea had made it pretty damn difficult to not feel like that was at least a little bit the case, and Edelgard had gone against all her better judgement and let her. But, now she wasn't worrying about Rhea. She'd made her own decisions, and whatever she did was outside of Edelgard's control. Edelgard was worried about herself.</em>
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                    <em>She wanted to want to live, to grow, to heal, to help others feel safe with who they were. She was tired of living like time had stopped that night she was taken, and she wanted to finally let it move. Let that night end. That dawn terrified her, but the idea of what she'd become if she didn't terrified her even more. </em>
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                    <em>A horn blaring behind her snapped Edelgard from her sobbing, and she quickly wheeled herself out into the lane she'd meant to turn onto, and finished her ride home, the rest of the tracks playing on the ride being considerably happier. </em>
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                    <em>Edelgard parks in front of the bar, sliding out and slamming the door behind her, hanging her keys on her belt loop as she walks to the main entrance. She nods to Shamir, stepping through the door and seeing quite a few people around, one person in particular belonging to someone who hadn’t been there in some time. </em>
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                    <em>"Petra, haven't seen you round here in a while." Edelgard said,clapping the taller woman on the shoulder. </em>
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                    <em>"Could say similar for you. I was starting to worry you didn't like my last piece, and that I'd lost one of my best clients." Petra says. The woman was a mile taller then Edelgard if she was an inch, and she had muscle to match the stature, with a curved purple semicircle under her left eye, and an intricate design of an olive branch sticking out of the three-quarter sleeve of her shirt, wrapping around her forearm and ending at her hand. Her braids were such a vibrant purple they might as well have been glowing. </em>
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                    <em>"Never. Your last piece healed up like a thing of fuckin beauty." Edelgard slips her arm from her sleeve, the massive mess of flowers and blue butterflies twirling around a skull on her right bicep now on full display. "Just been a weird couple of months. Haven't had the time or money to get any new tattoos… but you know what, I think I might be in the mood to make an appointment. Got anything open in a month?"</em>
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                    <em>“I’m sure I could find some time. The real question is where I’m going to be putting it.” Petra says as she leans back against the bar, being startled by the voice of her partner a second later. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Petal, sweety I think you’ve spent a bit too long hanging around Sylven.” Dorothea mutters as she appears from the back room. Petra goes so red in the face that Edelgard can’t help but snicker as she takes a seat at the bar. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I didn’t mean it like that!” Petra tries to clarify. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I know, sweety.” Dorothea pats her shoulder, giving her a peck on the cheek. Edelgard shakes her head, Dorothea was never the jealous type. Given Petra had probably seen more of Edelgard naked then she ever had, that was probably a good thing. Jealousy and dating a tattoo artist didn’t seem like they’d mix well. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Catherine, give me a rum and coke, hold the rum.” Edelgard asks, making Catherine roll her eyes as she slides a glass of cola to her. Petra takes the chair beside Edelgard and the two pick up where they left off. “So how was the shop today?” Edelgard asks, taking a drink from her glass. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Actually a pretty good day all in all. Had two really big pieces, a three-quarter sleeve and the other a back panel, so they had me pretty tired by the end, but both clients left a good tip. Had a girl come in for a consultation too, sweetest girl I’d ever met. She didn’t end up setting a date for her tattoo, so I don’t think she had the guts to go through with it, but from the looks of it she just barely became old enough to even get a tattoo, so who knows, maybe she’ll come back in a year or two. Pretty sure we’ll see her around here in a couple years though. Seemed pretty interested when she noticed all the rainbows in the shop, asking if I knew any ‘nice places to meet people like me’. Told her she would need to wait another couple years, but she seemed really interested in the bar.” Petra’s idle reminiscing passed the time as they sipped their drinks. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Probably another baby dyke getting shunted into the academy next year.  Poor girl is going to have a bitch of a time, but at least she knows there’s others like her out there.” Edelgard mused, her back to the door. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I don’t know, she sounded like she was already in the academy. Probably graduated highschool early or something. Maybe Flayn knows her, ain't the academies got a couple of shared buildings?” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“The library and a few of the smaller buildings that aren’t connected to the main facilities, but that’s about it. Couldn’t hurt to ask, I guess.” Edelgard says with a shrug. She looks over to see Flayn toying with the stem of a cherry sitting on the top of her glass, her chin rested on one hand as she and Dema talk back and forth, both smiling like giddy idiots. Neither of them had managed to muster up the guts to ask the other out, so as far as Edelgard was aware their compromise was to spend just about every second they were in the same general location chattering away endlessly, and if the amount of text notifications Dema got whenever she was there and Flayn wasn’t was any indication, it was likely said conversation carried over outside of the bar as well as in it. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
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        <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Flayn!” Petra calls, not managing to break the girl's attention from Demeter. She calls again, and Flayn still didn’t reply. Finally Petra wads up a napkin, bouncing it off of Flayn’s head. “Is there a girl at your school named Lysithea?” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Yeah, she just transferred in last week.” Flayn replies quickly, throwing the napkin back at Petra and immediately returning to her conversation with Demeter. Petra nods and turns back to Edelgard, who is now pale as a sheet. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Edelgard, you ok? You look like death.” Petra rests a hand on Edelgard’s back, even when she flinches at the touch. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>‘It can’t be her’, Edelgard thinks to herself. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>But what if it is? </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Edelgard looks to Petra, but Petra is looking behind her, and Edelgard realizes that the entire bar is silent, save for the Hozier track playing over the stereo system, someone must have let Dorothea be in charge of the playlist. Edelgard turns to the direction Petra is facing, and her pale face begins to regain its color, shock now replaced with rage. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Hello, Edelgard.” Says the older woman, long brown hair in neat, perfect ringlets hanging out from under a red sun hat. She looks through thick, expensive sunglasses with violet eyes to Demeter, who is as still and clearly unimpressed as Edelgard is. “Hello, Dimitri.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“What are you doing here Anselma?” Demeter asks, a hand inching closer to the zipper of her coat. She makes eye contact with Edelgard, who shakes her head no. Demeter stays her hand as Edelgard cuts Anselma’s reply off before it even begins, her fist slamming onto the bar, sending her glass clattering to the floor, shattering. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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</p><p>
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                    <em>“Everybody out.” Edelgard all but growls, feeling everyone’s eyes train on her. “Now.” No one needs to be told a third time, and the bar empties in seconds save for Edelgard and her mother. Edelgard stands, walking to the other side of the bar, leaving her stool out. “Sit.” Edelgard grabs herself another glass. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“Is that any tone to take with your own mother, young lady?” Anselma asks, crossing her arms as she moves toward the bar. Edelgard pauses as she feels her pulse tick higher with every step the woman takes. She reaches for the lowest shelf vodka she can reach, pausing as she is about to pour it into her glass. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
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      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
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            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>This isn’t the time, however. She closes her eyes, taking a breath and letting herself feel what is going through her mind. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>It is blind, seething, furious rage. She sets the liquor down, undispensed, and simply pours out another glass of soda. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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          </em>
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  <em>
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                    <em>“Let me rephrase that.” Edelgard says, looking her mother in the eye, taking a long sip just to irritate her. “Sit your ass down, or get the fuck out. There is not a third option.” Anselma flinches at the demand, and her pride seems to almost push her out the door, but she sighs and sits down. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
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              <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em> “I see all these years have done nothing to calm your temper.” Anselma mutters, taking off the black gloves on her hands, leaving the sleek red A-line coat she’s wearing. “Would you at least pour me a glass of water? I drove all this way to see you, and I’m rather parched.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“You shouldn’t have wasted the gas. You aren’t drinking a damn thing from my bar. You’re going to tell me what in the hell gives you the right to step foot in this place, and then you’re going to stand up, walk out of here, and never fucking return.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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          </em>
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                    <em>“El, please don’t be like this. I’ve missed you terribly, and I just want to see how you’ve been fairing. I’m worried about you, as a mother has the right to be.” Anselma rests her hands politely on the bar, and Edelgard can’t meet her eyes, looking away and taking another drink of her soda. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
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      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“You lost the right to worry about me a long time ago. The only reason I didn’t have you dragged out by my security is because I want you to pass a message along to your piece of shit husband and his ilk, and I’d rather avoid dealing with your fucking lawyers. But I’ll bite that bullet if I need to. You’re her on my grace, nothing more, nothing less. Act appropriately.” Edelgard lets the anger in her blood spill into the words, and she sees it reflect back at her from Anselma’s furrowed brow.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>She knew it, all that facade of concern, worn away the second it was called out. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“Excuse me, young lady, but do not go threatening to have that boy you had running the door drag me out of here again. I am your mother and you will address me with the proper respect I am owed.” Anselma demands, crossing her arms as Edelgard cackles at her. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“That’s exactly what I’m doing, you fucking banshee, addressing you as you deserve, with contempt and disgust.” Edelgard slams her empty glass onto the counter, somehow managing to not break it.  “And let me make one thing excuisitely clear for you, you bull headed, self righteous cunt, the woman running my door is exactly fucking that. A woman. Just like my sister, Demeter.” Edelgard stresses every syllable of Demeter’s name as she walks around the bar, resting inches away from Anselma, her voice going deathly quiet. “If you make another ‘slip’ like that and insinuate anything otherwise, about any of the women who work at or patronize this bar, you won’t have to worry about Shamir, because I’ll drag you off my fucking property by your hair, slash the tires on whatever opulent piece of shit car you drove here, lock the doors behind you, and laugh while you stand out in the fucking cold and rot waiting for a tow truck. Do I make myself crystal fucking clear?” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>Anselma sighs and shakes her head, dragging her hands down her face as if resigning herself to failure. “I just wanted to come and see if you were finally done with your little temper tantrum, but clearly you aren’t. Nearly half a decade and you’re still on your little angry dyke pitty part-” Anselma is silenced by the back of Edelgard’s hand striking across her face, knocking her from her stool and onto the ground. The woman looks up, a hand to her cheek in shock. “Y-you struck me!” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Say that fucking word again in front of me and I’ll do a lot worse than that.” Edelgard says with a terrifying certainty. “Now get up. Catherine just cleaned the floors, and I don’t need filth like you mucking up my bar.” Edelgard grabs the gloves off the counter, tossing them onto Anselma as she turns and walks away, heading back to her glass. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“D-don’t you turn your back on me, young lady!” Anselma spits as she stands up. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Too late, bitch.” Edelgard mutters under her breath as she waves her off, grabbing her glass.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I can not believe you would be so vile and disrespectful. The only reason this pit is even still in your possession is because of my kindness, and this is how you treat me? By all rights, the money you used to purchase this building was never fully under your control. A few phone calls from our lawyers and this den of filth will be splinters and ash, you just-” Anselma is silenced in her ramblings by Edelgard’s glass shattering against the floor behind her. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
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      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
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              <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“You won’t lay a finger on this fucking bar. You stepping foot in it is already an insult to it’s entire purpose. Go ahead, drag lawyers into this, I’ll raise so much fucking hell every single news station in the country finds out about the great holy Hresvelg family’s lezzy daughter and her fag-tastic gay bar. Oh, but that’s nothing compared to the other shit I have on you.” Edelgard grabs Anselma by her coat and drags her so they’re inches apart. “If you ever threaten this bar or any of the people in it, I’ll burn your entire fucking family to the ground with nothing but the dirt I have on you. I will revel in the chance to dance in the ashes of your life, just fucking try me.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
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</p><p>
  <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I-i’m sure I have no idea what you’re insinuating about our fam-” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
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  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Your family, you wiry old bitch. Not mine. You stopped being my family the day you sent me to that fucking torture camp.” Anselma rolled her eyes. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Father Arundel said you’d never give up this charade. I won’t have you trying to besmirch the good father for trying to help you.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
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          <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Help me?! The bastard carved and burned me like a cheap fucking turkey in november!” Edelgard shoved Anselma back, pulling her own shirt up over her abdomen, scars by the dozens on display, but all she heard was a scoff. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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  <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“I don’t wish to see just how much you’ve wasted on befowling your skin with ink and goddess knows what else. Now I’d really suggest you change your tone with me young lady unless you wish to grovel to your father for the right to keep this place. He’s not nearly so kind as me.” Edelgard goes silent, looking Anselma in the eye as her face cracks into a smile. “I thought so, now-” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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          </em>
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  <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“Bring him here, anywhere near here, and I’ll fucking kill him.” Anselma goes pale, stopping in the middle of her sentence as she looks at Edelgard like she was staring at a demon in the flesh. “You really do not understand what I’ve been trying to say to you, Anselma. You don’t control me. You never will again. You tried to physically by shipping me off to that torture chamber, and I escaped. I know damn well you sent men a couple years back to try and burn this place down, but how’d that turn out? Oh yeah, one of them dead, me still alive, and this place still fucking standing. Try to come after me with lawyers, and I’ll ruin your entire reputation: everything your wealth is built on, I can undo with a couple of press releases. You might be able to save some of it, but you’ll never fix it fully.” </em>
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        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“... You’re bluffing and you know it.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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            <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“Am I?” Edelgard asks, hooking her thumbs in the pockets of her jeans. She looks out the window to the parking lot, seeing Demeter and Flayn standing side by side, looking out toward the road visibly confused. “You know… it’s funny, isn’t it, how similar me and Dema look.” Anselma goes paler still. “I always thought so at least. Same jaw, same cheeks. It shows a lot more since Demeter’s been on hormones, and there isn’t a difference in fat to help hide it.” Edelgard revels in watching Anselma’s eye twitch, but she is tired of idle threats, so she goes for the throat. “Demeter and I took a dna test a year after I took over the bar. I had the results verified twice over. All showing a fifty percent match.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
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  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“Y-you’re lying.” Anselma’s voice shakes, blatantly showing that she knows she’s wrong.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
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  <em>
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              <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“How long do you think it’ll take the news to put together that, with us being the ages we are, that would mean both you and that piece of shit husband of yours were cheating on your own spouses before you ended up together? How long do you think it’ll take the church to drop your worthless assess after that scandal breaks?” Edelgard shakes her head, and looks Anselma in the eye. “That’s just the beggining of the dirt I’ve got on you, you putrid fucking whore. I knew you were going to pull some shit like this eventually. You can’t stand losing control of anything you see as yours. Well guess what, I’m not yours. Never was, never will be. You get to decide how painful that lesson has to be for you. Walk out, and never come back, and all you’ll have to deal with is the bite of knowing you fucking lost, that I genuinely am better than you. Or, you can deny the obvious, and I’ll burn your entire life to the ground, just like you did mine. Do I make myself perfectly clear, you incompetant ass?!” Anselma glares at Edelgard, but it’s obvious she knows she’s beat. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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                    <em>Anselma sniffles, wiping the corner of her eye with a fingertip as her lip quivers. Edelgard can barely hold back a roll of her eyes, until Anselma speaks again. "Edelgard,  I just… I only ever wanted to help you find your way back into the goddess's love."</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
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  </em>
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  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
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                    <em>Edelgard can’t hold back the cackle that statement draws from her. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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                    <em>"Anselma, I got to feel plenty of the Goddess's love when you had me dragged away in the middle off the night and strapped to a fucking torture chair. I got to see exactly how loving your goddess was as I had my flesh carved open to try and associate the one thing in my life I found joy in with pain, misery and suffering. Believe me or not, I don't care, but I saw your goddess at work with every wound they put on me. If that was the beauty of her love, the wonder of her heaven, then believe me when I tell you I want nothing from her, and nothing from you, then utter and complete damnation. Compared to the heartless, cold, empty void of what you called love, the flames of the deepest pit of hell would feel like a warm blanket. You were willing to do anything to get me to kneel at your feet and do as I was told in the name of the goddess, but all you did was show me that I wanted to bask in the flames of the hell you threatened me with far more than I'd ever want an eternity stuck with you and every other self righteous sycophantic monster masquerading behind a bowed head and a tithe. You want your heaven free of sinning filth like me? Fine then. I'll stand right here, and build my own ring of hell right here in this god damned bar, one where every poor soul you cast aside can feel safe, loved and protected in the ways you and your church promised and never delivered. I will dance in the flames of perdition and smile as I do it because hell is a wonderland compared to the torture you'd call heaven. Fuck your goddess, fuck your faith, fuck your family and fuck you.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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</p><p>
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                    <em>“Where did we go wrong? Who hurt you, Edelgard?” Anselma asks no one as she shakes her head. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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  <em>
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                    <em>“Have you not listened to a word I said?! You fucking hurt met! You broke every part of me there was to break. My heart, my mind, my body, all of it! You took the places in my mind where normal people were taught love and kindness and joy and filled it with nothing but fear, anger and guilt. The question isn’t ‘where did you go wrong’, I’d love to try and find one thing you managed to actually do right. I’m so fucking afraid, all the goddess damned time, and I have every right to be, because of you! I might be a monster, but at least I try to do as much good as I can! You just excuse every vile thing you do cus you’re a ‘holy person’ who thinks she knows what’s best for everyone!” Edelgard kicks over a bar stool, taking a breath and letting a sob escape her. She took a moment, slicking her hair back, looking Anelma in the eye with a half-cocked grin, a tear trickling down her cheek even with the grin. “You know I met a wonderful woman. Kind, loving, caring, sweet, intelligent, beautiful… I knew the moment I saw her, I was hers. I knew it was going to blow up in my face, but I couldn’t help it. I spent two of the best months of my life with her, and I don’t know if you know how to feel love in that twisted black pit you call a heart, but I know that I love her… And I couldn’t make myself tell her that, or that deep down inside I didn’t know what I was more terrified of, her hurting me just like you did, or me hurting her. I was so terrified of either happening that I made both happen at once. I ruined the first good relationship I had in years because I was so full of the fear you put in me, and I’m not going to let you ruin my life any more than you already have. Now get out of my bar, and if I ever see you, your scumfuck husband, or anyone else tainted by your putrid bloodline in here again I’ll be shipping them back to Enbarr in a box!” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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                    <em>Anselma stumbles out of the building, and after she hears the rev of a car engine and tires squealing on the pavement, Edelgard walks back behind the bar and falls back against it, leaning on it for support as she drags her hands down her face. There’s no tears left in her to cry. Her insides feel like the aftermath of a woodchipper, torn apart without any rhyme or reason. There’s a siren’s call to the image of the vodka bottle, but instead she reaches over the bar and awkwardly pours another glass of cola. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
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                    <em>The door swings back open, and Edelgard hears footsteps. They’re soft, timid, and she figures Dorothea is there to check on her, before the others come in. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
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                    <em>“It’s a bit of a mess, but I’ll sweep up the glass in just a second. You can tell the others it’s safe to head back inside. It must be freezing out there.” Edelgard says over her shoulder, taking a sip of her soda. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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                    <em>“I think this is a conversation I’d rather have just the two of us.” Edelgard nearly spits her drink out at the long-missed voice, spinning around to look at a woman with seafoam green hair pulled back in a bun, wearing a faded flannel jacket that, up until three months prior, had belonged to her over a blouse and black trousers. “I’ve missed you, Edelgard.” Rhea says as their eyes meet. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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                    <em>Edelgard becomes rather certain that Manuela is either a cruel psychic, or she just had the absolute shitiest luck in the world. Or best? </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
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          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>To be determined. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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                    <em>“Ray…” Edelgard’s lips form the word before she’s even thought of what to follow it with. “I… How much of that did you hear?” Rhea blushes at the question, and the sight of it alone makes Edelgard’s heart melt in her chest. </em>
                  </em>
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          </em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. But... long enough.” </em>
                  </em>
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                    <em>Edelgard pinches the bridge of her nose, that information going down like a horse pill. “I guess that’s about my luck today.” She mutters to herself, and Rhea can see the exhaustion weight down on every inch of her body. “What are you doing here Ray?”  </em>
                  </em>
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              </em>
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                    <em>“Like I said, I think we need to talk.” Rhea says as she steps toward the bar. </em>
                  </em>
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                    <em>“Yeah, we really do..” Edelgard gestures to the area of the bar covered in shattered glass. “Pardon the mess.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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                    <em>“I don’t mind. It seems like you’ve had a long day.” Rhea stands at the end of the bar, the only thing between the two of them being the corner of the bar itself. She lays a small folder on the table. It’s a pretty leather bound one, with a zipper along the side. </em>
                  </em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“You don’t know the fucking half of it.” Edelgard grabs her drink before her hand can reach for something stronger. She takes a sip and tries to think of something to say. What the hell can she say? She’d been wondering what would happen if a moment like this ever came, and now that it was here, she was too exhausted to really act. Maybe that was for the better. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, Ray. You really are.” </em>
                  </em>
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                    <em>“I was about to say the same for you. Your haircut is very handsome.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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                    <em>“Thanks. Needed a change…” Edelgard knows she should ask why she’s really here, what she wants to talk about, but she’s not ready yet. She’s not ready to know whether Rhea is here to try and start over, or if she’s just coming to collect her things. Both are terrifying in their own ways, and Edelgard isn’t really ready for either. So, she does what she’d best at, and talks to avoid having to actually discuss anything of value. “So, you seem dressed up. Some big thing at work?” </em>
                  </em>
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                    <em>“Yes, actually. That’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about.” Edelgard swears at herself in her head. Well that plan didn’t last very long. “I… Here.” Rhea slides the folder to Edelgard, who looks at her in utter confusion. Rhea gives her a small, goading nod, and she takes it in her hands, unzipping it and opening it across the bar. There’s several small manila folders within it, each marked with different time slots:‘11 am- 2 pm Tu,Th’, ‘9am-noon M,W,F’, and ‘4pm-7pm M,W,F’. Edelgard ignores those in favor of a slightly worn sheaf of papers that was set on top of them. At the top of the stack is a photocopy of a form, boldly labelled ‘Firdhiad State University, Department of Staffing and Human Resources’. A bit farther down the page, Edelgard sees the word ‘Application of Employment’ and her brow furrows at seeing Rhea’s name listed in the box. She sets the paper down and shakes her head. </em>
                  </em>
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                    <em>“Rhea, what is going on? Why are you showing me this?” Edelgard’s confusion is only compounded by the fact she thinks she knows the answer, but half of her is too afraid to jump to that conclusion lest she be wrong and end up that much more disappointed, while the other half is concerned about what it even means if she is right. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“I quit.” Rhea says it with such banality that Edelgard could almost believe she misunderstood. “The Academy, I mean. A… friend of ours told me there was a role open for a professor of theology and religious studies, along with helping teach a literature course. Hence the clothes.” She gestures to her outfit, and smiles. “I had to dress nice for my first day.  It’s a pretty stark pay cut, but my classes seem very pleasant. It’s odd, teaching to a ‘co-ed’ class.” Edelgard lets the full weight of what was just said settle on her, and it feels as if she’s crushed under a mountain of bricks, but at the same time, never felt lighter. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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</p><p>
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    <em>
      <em>
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              <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“Rhea, what I said last month… I didn’t want you to-” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
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      </em>
    </em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“But I did.” Rhea interjects, not upset, but clearly wishing to assure Edelgard it isn’t like that. “At least I did once I managed to actually let myself think about it.  Dorothea did a lot to help me with that.” Edelgard chuckles. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“Yeah, she’s good at that sort of thing.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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          </em>
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                    <em>“She is.” Rhea says, pausing for a second and chewing her cheek, mulling her words carefully. “I… I didn’t do this for you. I want to make that clear. I might not have done it without you, but those two things aren’t interchangeable. You were right, when you said that you had no reason to believe I would’ve walked away from my life. I was petrified of the thought. I spent so long relying on the church that the thought of losing it was immense. But then I got to see just how empty my life was back in a world where I had to hide, day in and day out. I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t do it. I was tired of being two people, and you helped me see just how much my doing so hurt those closest to me. I’m sorry that it took me so long to see that. But at the end of the day, I made this decision for myself. I want to live my life, as myself, no matter what that means. I want to be happy…” Rhea blushes and looks away, toying with her fingers as she resumes. “But the reason I’m here, and that I wanted to talk to you, is because whenever I think of the moments in my life I was happiest… all the most recent memories include you.” She looks back up to Edelgard. “I am going to build my life into something where I get to be happy and myself, but I’d also like to try to build some part of it with you.”</em>
                  </em>
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              </em>
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</p><p>
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                    <em>“Ray… I don’t know what to say.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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                    <em>“You don’t need to. I didn’t expect you to. But whatever you decide, I wanted to ask if you’re ok with me spending time here again. I’ve missed all of you, but I know what this bar means to you. I want you to feel safe here, and if my presence would harm that, I can find ways to spend time with the others elsewhere.” Edelgard’s lips part just a fraction, as if she’s trying to speak, but nothing comes out. Her chin quivers, and she realizes she may have been wrong when she thought she had no tears left to cry. Rhea moves to her. </em>
                  </em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“Of course you can be here, Ray. Your being welcome here was never-” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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                    <em>“I know.” Rhea says, reaching over the bar and resting her hand on Edelgard’s, she doesn’t pull away. “Thank you, Edelgard.” </em>
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                    <em>“It’s not that big of a deal… I know that you aren’t expecting an answer right now, but I want you to know that I want to say yes, to give us another shot. But I just… I need to take some time and think about this. I’m doing a lot better than I was before, but that sort of thing can fall apart really easy. I just need to think it over for a while... to see that this is real.” Edelgard lets the tears fall, and Rhea steps around the bar, resting her hand on Edelgard’s cheek.</em>
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                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Edelgard wraps her arms around Rhea’s waist, resting her forehead against Rhea’s shoulder. Her mind is a mess, she’s exhausted, and she just wants to sleep, but at the same time her fingers bunch themselves in Rhea’s shirt as she feels a hand run through her short white hair. She wants to believe this is all true so badly, that they can make something of what was left of them from before it all fell apart, but she just can’t let herself believe it.  Something at the back of her mind screamed that it was all a trick, she hadn’t managed to pull herself into anything resembling what she’d once been over six years, how could they work after only a few months? Edelgard can’t tell if it was the part of her that wanted to get better, or the part of her that was terrified to grow. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Rhea feels Edelgard’s hair part around her fingers as she strokes her scalp, her other arm draped over Edelgard’s shoulder and holding her just as tight as she’s being held. She catches the faint whiff of cheap cologne and boot polish. She knows it’s ridiculous to miss such a stupid thing, but it had become painfully obvious to her just how much such a scent could be missed when it was gone. The jacket had lost its scent long ago. Her fingers made another pass through Edelgard’s hair, but the silence of the moment was shattered by a scream outside. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Edelgard pulls away and her eyes snap to the door. “Stay here.” She says, stepping away from Rhea and throwing open a cabinet under the bar. She pulls a cloth wrapped bundle from one of the shelves, and breaks for the door as she unwraps it, stuffing it into the back of her waistband and quickly tossing her shirt back over the polished wood of the grip. Rhea decisively ignores Edelgard’s request, following behind her and stumbling out of the door a matter of seconds after her, just in time to hear Edelgard’s shout at the small crowd gathered in the parking lot of the bar. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>A crowd that, to Rhea’s horror, includes her own brother. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Flynn, you get over here this instant! Do not ignore me young man!” He barks as Edelgard reaches the bottom of the stairs. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“What is going on here?” Edelgard asks as she marches into the center of the crowd, decisively between Seteth and Flayn, the second of who was currently cowering behind Demeter, barely peeking out from over her shoulder as if she were hoping Seteth would forget she was there. Demeter wore such an enraged scowl Rhea would almost call it a snarl as she glared Seteth down. Shamir is still standing at the door, her hand tucked under her jacket, a thumb hooked into her belt while Catherine stands off to Demeter’s right. Neither of them look much more pleased then Dema. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I could ask you the same, young lady.” Seteth all but spits in her face. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“You son of a bitch, I am the owner and operator of this establishment, and you’re standing on my property. It’s in your best interests to not talk to me like I’m one of your students.” Edelgard says without room for argument, but Seteth does it anyway. As he begins to speak, Rhea is already halfway down the stairs, and Flayn is moving to her. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“‘Establishment’, don’t make me laugh. I know what this place is, and I’m taking my son from here before your lot can corrupt him any further.” Seteth moves to walk past Edelgard, only to be shoved back. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Do not try that again.” Edelgard says, all but daring him to test her. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I do not take orders from you, Hresvelg. Now get out of my way before I-” Seteth looks up to see Flayn missing from behind Demeter, and eventually his eyes find her, her arms wrapped around her aunt. “Rhea…two weeks gone without a word and the first place I see you is here?!” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Seteth, what in the goddess’s name are you doing here? You’re making an ass of yourself, and you’ve scared your daughter half to death.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Rhea, what are you talking about?! I- We can discuss this later. I am taking Fly-” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Flayn is not going anywhere she does not want to, Seteth, and that is final.” Rhea interjects, hugging her niece closer. “She’s an adult, Seteth, she has been for nearly half a decade now, and you ought to be ashamed of yourself for trying to order her around. The things this young woman has told me about your stranglehold on her life make me absolutely disgusted, and it’s shameful I allowed it to go by unnoticed as long as I have.” With every other ‘she’ and ‘her’ Seteth’s face becomes that much more confused and enraged. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Catherine and Demeter look between Seteth and Rhea, and then to Edelgard, who can only give them a shake of her head and a shrug. She has exactly as little idea as to what to do as either of them.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Excuse me?! Don’t tell me you’re really enabling this behavior!” Seteth spits, stepping toward Rhea. A moment later Edelgard’s shifts back into his path. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Stay where you are or I’ll move you somewhere far less pleasant.” Edelgard barks, shoving Seteth back yet again. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I’m not ‘enabling’ a thing, Seteth. In fact clearly, all I've been enabling all these years is your own ignorance.” Rhea pats Flayn on her shoulder, letting the girl pull away as Rhea beacons Demeter toward her. Demeter does as asked, and Rhea mutters a quick request for her to take Flayn inside. Demeter nods, and while Flayn is a bit hesitant, backing away but still too nervous to turn her back, Rhea faces Seteth and sees him ever more confused. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Rhea, for the love of everything, please just let us get home before you tear into me over my shortcomings as a father. Clearly, they’re plentiful.” Seteth says, and there’s an audible pop from how hard Catherine’s hand clenches into a fist at the way the pastor gestures to his daughter as he says it. Edelgard raised a hand, barley, toward Catherine to try and tell her to keep her cool. “But this is not the place to have that conversation. We’ll go to the family house, sit down, and you can explain to me what in the hell it is that you two are doing here. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you exactly how bad this looks from the outside. I want to hear what you have to say, because I know this must all just be some sort of misunderstanding, but I refuse to have this conversation in front of a crowd of-” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Lesbians?” Rhea offers, if only to save her brother from the strike she knew he’d take if he said what she was worried he intended. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“... Degenerates.” Seteth says instead. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Whatever term you wish to use, you’ll find yourself no freer from that presence as long as you’re in my company, Seteth.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>One could hear a pin drop a town over by the way everyone on the lot went so deadly silent. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Perhaps Seteth had thought Rhea was there to collect Flayn herself, perhaps he thought she was just there trying to preach the goddess’s light, but whatever he’d thought could be a good enough excuse that he could pretend to believe her, Rhea had shattered all of those possibilities with one sentence, a sentence that had the destructive capability of several nations nuclear arsenals combined. But he clearly wouldn’t let that be the end. He gave her one last chance to hide, to lie to his face. “Rhea… What are you doing here?” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I’m here because I belong here. Just like your daughter does… Just like our mother did.” Seteth’s lip twitches as if he were in the midst of a stroke, and Flayn lets out a quiet eep as she turns to finally move inside. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Rhea now that is a blatant lie and I will not have you disparage the dead so blatantly!” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I’m telling you the truth, Seteth. Do you remember Cornelia? Mother’s ‘good friend from work’? There’s a photo, on the wall in this very bar, of the two of them celebrating a year together, no more than a month before mother’s accident. I will show you the photo if you will pull your-” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“No, I refuse to believe this charade of yours. I’m taking Flynn away from this place, and far away from where you can continue to corrupt him.” He all but spits as he pushes past Edelgard, aiming to do the same to Rhea and Demeter, but he goes still as a stone at the sound of five distinct metal clicks, one each from the cocking hammer of the pistols Catherine and Shamir produce from tucked into the waist of their pants, one from the hammer of the pistol Demeter pulls loose from a rather well hidden holster under the arm of her jacket as she steps into Seteth’s path, pressing the muzzle against his sternum. The final two come from the pair of hammers on the well worn double barrel Edelgard pulls free from the waist of her pants and presses against Seteth’s back. The polished wood of the pistol grip seemed to fit Edelgard’s hand so well it may as well have been molded to it. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Rhea feels her heart drop like a lead weight as she sees her own flesh and blood have three gun barrels pointed at him, another two ready to be at a moment’s notice. However what strikes her more is the fact that, in all that, she feels some relief that maybe that will force him to calm himself. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em> Edelgard grabs Seteth by his collar, dragging him back and sending him stumbling over himself until he falls onto his back, and once they’re out of the path of danger Flayn grabs Demeter’s arm, pulling her along into the building. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Get off of my property.” Edelgard snaps, her gun pointed at the ground but not put away. Seteth scowls as he moves to sit up, but Edelgard puts her boot into his sternum and pins him back down. “Let me make something clear to you, I’m only giving you a chance to walk because your family is far more likeable than you are. Anyone else stormed in here, accosted my patrons, tried to shove me aside and abduct someone, I wouldn’t be giving them the option of leaving here in anything but an ambulance or a bodybag. If I let you up, and you try and pull anything other than walking your happy ass out of here and never returning, I’ll deal with your family’s wrath and kill you where you stand, because to me that’s a clear sign that the lives of the people in this bar are in danger. Do I make myself crystal clear?” Seteth glowers at her, clearly biting back the urge to argue, and nods. “I can’t fucking hear you.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“You’ve made your point clear, you prideful brat.” Edelgard rolls her eyes and shoves Seteth with the heel of her boot, backing away until she’s standing beside Rhea. Seteth makes it to his feet, and Rhea catches his eyes as he looks to her. She can hear Edelgard’s grip on her shotgun tighten as she anticipates the worst, but all he does is speak. “Tell Flynn he can come home when he is ready to repent. Until then, he can find his own way in the world, and he will do so far from my home, and far from the Academy.” He dusts off his clothes, turning away from her without even a goodbye. The parking lot is silent once he’s gone, the air still buzzing with the tension as it hangs around them. Edelgard takes a moment, popping the shotgun open and pulling the shells out, before decocking the hammers and stuffing it back where she’d hidden it earlier. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I suppose the entire church will know before the day is out.” Rhea mutters, her arms crossed in front of her. “If this whole process had to be just one thing, at least it was quick.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“You don’t know that. He might try and hush it up, hope he can keep it hidden.” Edelgard muses as Catherine walks past the two of them, heading for Shamir. Neither Rhea nor Edelgard move to follow. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Well I hope not. I want him to tell them. The least he can do is save me the bother of having to inform everyone when they start asking why I’ve stopped coming to mass.” Rhea smiles at the soft chuckle that gets her, but just as quickly, Edelgard’s face drops back into a tired neutrality. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“... I’m sorry, Ray.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Don’t be. You didn’t drag him here and make him act like an ass. He did that himself.” Rhea assures, resting a hand on Edelgard’s arm.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I uh, well I was more meaning about threatening to shoot him.” Rhea’s mouth hangs agape as she realizes that that was in fact something that had just happened. She floundered for words, not quite sure how to react to all of the very very messy feelings stirred up inside her by what had just occurred, so she opted to simply let it be. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“As much as I wish it hadn’t had to come to that, at the very least they remained just that, threats. I think right now there are bigger issues to address.” Rhea turned to face the stairs up to the bar. “I should speak to Flayn.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Yeah, I’ll probably need to talk to Catherine. We’re likely going to have to make up a cot in the store room. Flayn can crash in my apartment, and I’ll take the cot until we can find her a more stable place to live. I’ll move all of my… what?” Edelgard asks as she sees Rhea looking at her with concern. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“El, I’m going to be bringing Flayn to live with me. If she’s ok with it, that is. She’s my niece, and I have plenty of room, I’d never just walk away from her like that.” Rhea feels her heart break that much more at the way Edelgard goes red with embarrassment. The thought of a family member offering that kind of support must have not even crossed her mind. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I, OK I just meant I wanted to make sure that option was ready if she needed it. I mean shit, I’ve never even been to your place, I don’t want to assume anything.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Would you like to?” Rhea asks before she can think of the thousand different reasons why it’s beyond the wrong time to ask that sort of thing. She blames the adrenaline still in her system, but perhaps there was more in the world of exhaustion pushing her more than anything. Sometimes one is just too tired to be afraid. “To see my home, I mean… Once I get Flayn settled in, I’d feel safer with someone else in the house with us, especially if that someone was you. And if Flayn says she wants to stay here, I might be able to offer a more comfortable place to sleep than a cot. N-not that it would be my bed, I have a guest room, I mean. Not that you have to sleep there if you don’t want to. I just-” Edelgard takes her hand, snapping Rhea from her ramble, and gives her a half smile. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I think I’d like that. I don’t know if I can stay over... this place needs me, especially after such an exciting day, but I’d like to come over.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>When Rhea steps through the door into the bar, Flayn is standing in the corner, sobbing into Demeter’s shirt as the blonde hugs her. Shamir is sitting on a stool while Catherine sweeps up the broken glass from the floor. Rhea lets go of Edelgard’s hand, and they move to their respective pairs, Rhea walking up to Demeter and Flayn as Catherine and Shamir look to Edelgard. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Demeter looks down at Flayn and back up to Rhea, as if asking if she wants to talk to her, and Rhea gives a nod yes. She lets her arms loosen around Flayn, and a second later the two step apart, Flayn dabbing at the corners of her eyes with the sleeve of her baggy sweater. “Aunty I-he-I didn’t-” Flayn manages to gasp out, still sobbing. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I know, sweety. ” Rhea says, seemingly taking Dema’s place as Flayn wrapped her arms around her, sobbing into her shoulder. “It’s going to be ok, sweetheart. Let it out. You’re safe here, we’re safe here…” Rhea whispers a thousand little reassurances as she lets Flayn sob, and eventually her sobs turn into whimpers, and after some time, Flayn has found at least some peace. Rhea doesn’t pull away from the hug, waiting for Flayn to do that, and when she does she wipes away the smeared makeup and tears on her cheek as best she can. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I… I’m sorry, aunty.” Flayn whispered. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“You have nothing to be sorry for, my dear. None of that was your fault, you understand me?” Flayn nods. “Good… I know this likely isn’t something you want to talk about, but I want you to know that as long as you want it, there’s a room in the family home for you.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Th-thank you, aunty.” Flayn’s face twists into an even deeper frown. “I just don’t know what I’m going to do about everything else. He has all of my things in that house. My clothes, my computer, my… oh goddess, Scales!! He’s still sitting on my bed! Damnit!” Flayn nearly bursts into another round of tears right there, but she manages to hold together, shaking her head. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“We’ll figure something out. Perhaps in a couple days, I can convince him to get his head out of his ass, and give you your things back.” Rhea tries to assure. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“It’s not going to work. That man has never second guessed a decision he’s made in his life.” Flayn mumbles, and Rhea knows it’s the truth. From the day he was born, Seteth was beyond stubborn. This wasn’t likely to change. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“We’ll figure something out. If all else fails, I’ll help you buy a new computer, and we can replace your clothes. I… I know Scales meant a lot to you, and I’m sorry.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“He’s the last thing of mom’s I have left…” Flayn whimpers, on the brink of tears. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I know, sweetheart. I’m so so sorry.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“C-can we just go? I’m so tired.” Flayn asks, pulling back from Rhea. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Of course. Let’s get going… I wanted to ask you first, I asked Edelgard to accompany us, which might have been a bit, well, foolish given how everything has been, and if you want it to just be the two of us, I will tell her that we’ll need to find another time.” Flayn shakes her head at Rhea’s offer. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“No, no it’s absolutely fine. I… I don’t mind at all.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Ok, if you’re certain.” Rhea makes eye contact with Demeter. “If you’d like, Demeter, you’re more than welcome as well.” Flayn whips her head around, and from the look in Dema’s eyes Flayn is likely giving her the most powerful puppy dog eyes there’s ever been. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I… I actually have something important I need to do, just for a little while, but I promise the moment I’m finished, I’ll head right there.” Demeter says to Flayn, resting a hand on her arm. Dema looks up to Rhea. “Could you have Edelgard send me the address, and I’ll have Sylven bring me the moment we’re done.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Of course.” Rhea says,both her and Flayn bidding Dema goodbye as they walk toward Edelgard. <br/>“Thank you, both of you, really. I swear, I’ll pay you full wage for the whole night.” Edelgard says, and Catherine scofs. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Don’t even try. We’re doing it as your friends, not your employees. But I swear if that futon is hard as a rock I’ll tell Rhea about that one time last year when you got shitfaced and found that maid costume with the-” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>‘Ok, ok message received.” Edelgard quickly cut in. “But seriously… Thanks, Cat.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Of course, kid. Don’t think a thing of it.” Catherine offers El her hand, and El takes it, the two pulling each other into a hug, clapping one another on the shoulder. “Now get out of here, you look like hell, you fucking pipsqueek.” Catherine taunts, making El smile. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“You’re one to talk, you lumberjack.” Edelgard shoots back, slugging Catherine in the arm. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Is that a wood joke you little shit?” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“And what if it is?” Edelgard taunts, and the two pretend as if they’re about to fight, only for Catherine to ruin the moment, tussling Edelgard’s hair. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Get out of here kid or I’ll tell Rhea that story regardless of how comfy the futon is.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Edelgard bids them both goodbye, and narrowly avoids any conversation involving exactly what story Catherine was talking about as they load into their vehicles. Rhea sees the outline of the shotgun’s grip against the back of Edelgard’s shirt, and realizes that while guns always made her uncomfortable, given the day they’d had, she felt just a bit safer with knowing it would be there.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Demeter waves them off from the porch as Sylven saddles up alongside her. They stand there, looking out over the parking lot for a moment, before Demeter looks to Sylven. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Do you know where she-” She begins, before Sylven interrupts. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Yes, I know where she lived.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Ok, but do you-” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Yes, I know which room is hers. ” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“But are you ok with-” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Oh abso-fucking-lutely. No way am I letting that preacher bitch keep all her shit. She loves that fish more than most people love having all their limbs. We’re absolutely getting it back.” Sylven declares. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Are you-” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Yes, I’m sure you useless dyke, now get in the goddess damned truck and let's go steal your girlfriends shit back. And if you try and pull some ‘she’s not my girlfriend’ bullshit I’ll start calling you Edelgard.” Demeter doesn’t argue as she follows Sylven to the truck.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Rhea sets a small stack of towels and toiletries onto the desk in the corner of the guest room, next to a similarly sized stack of clothes she’d brought in just a little while prior. She’d had to dig through her closet, searching for things she hoped might fit Flayn, but the clothes had remained untouched so she had no idea if they would or not. Flayn lays on the opposite side of the bed, hugging a pillow as she seemed to just stare off into space. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“That should be everything you need for a shower, whenever you need to take one. Tomorrow once I’m finished with my classes, we can go to Hilda’s shop and see about finding you some clothes to tide you over until I have a bit more money to help. The university pays quite a bit less than the Academy did, but at the very least, it shouldn’t take us too long.” Rhea says as she walks to the side of the bed, sitting down and resting a hand on Flayn’s shoulder. “Is there anything else you might need?” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Flayn shakes her head no, her voice half muffled by the pillow as she replies. “No aunty, that should be plenty, thank you… I’m sorry I got us all into this mess.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“You have nothing to be sorry for, dear. A thousand things went into making today happen like it did… most of those being my own shortcomings. But at the end of it all, Seteth is the one who decided this was how it had to happen. That’s no one’s fault but his own.” Rhea sighs, rubbing up and down Flayn’s arm as assuringly as she can, and looks to the walls, plain white now, but pockmarked with a thousand remnants of pushpins from decades before. “You know this was once mine and Seteth’s room, back when your Grandmother was still alive.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“It was?” Flayn asks, still muffled by the pillow. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Mhmm. We couldn’t stand each other, back then. When your grandmother passed, about a year afterward, I finally found the courage to move into her room. A few years later, I was helping your mother build a crib for you right where that desk is.” Rhea says, pointing to the desk still piled with fabric and soap with a faint, weak smile. “Now that I think about it, there’s still quite a few boxes in the attic from when she and Seteth lived here, I might be able to find some of her clothes that would fit you.” Flayn sniffles into the pillow and coughs to clear her throat. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>‘I… I’d like that. Thank you, Aunty.”  </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Of course. We can do that after Hilda’s tomorrow. I’m almost certain her clothes will fit you. There are some days where I’m shocked by how much you remind me of her back then… I hope you know, Flayn, that I think your mother would be very proud of you, if she were here.” Flayn whimpers into the pillow, and Rhea sees the tears building in the corner of her eyes. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“T-thank you, Aunty… Can I have a little time to myself? I think I just need to think about some things.” </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Of course. Just let me know if you need anything else.” Rhea says patting her on the arm, before standing and leaving the room, closing the door behind her. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>She walks up the hallway, to the bedroom on the opposite side of the hallway, tucked into the very back of the house, the door hanging open and the sound of music strumming through the air. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>“How much gold can you find if you never go mining? They say the wine gets better if you let it breathe. Oh, the deeper the digging, the sweeter the finding,I want to know what’s underneath…”<em> The lyrics ring through her ears as she sees Edelgard sitting on the floor by the pile of clothes and things they’d had to sift through trying to find Flayn something to wear for the night and the next morning. The box of old tapes and cds Rhea kept was open, and Edelgard held one or two of each in her hand, chuckling to herself. </em></em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“Is something funny about my music?” Rhea asks, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorway. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“Yeah, a little.” Edelgard says, holding up the stack, naming them off as she puts them back in the box. “Maia sharp, K.D Lang, Brandi Carlisle.” Edelgard tosses the last disk onto the pile and stands up, walking over to Rhea. “How in the hell did you ever convince yourself you were straight? You’ve got a gayer taste in music then I do.” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“You’d be amazed how oblivious you can be when you don’t want to see something.” Rhea admits, the two of them now standing rather close together. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“I think I can get that better than you might give me credit for.” Edelgard says, sticking her hands in her pockets. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“So what do you think? Of the house, I mean.” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“It’s nice. Definitely wasn’t what I was expecting from you.” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“How do you mean?” Rhea asks as she plops down onto the side of the bed. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“I don’t know. I figured you’d live in some big, fancy place, the kinda spot where you see big windows lining a whole side, marble countertops and sterile white walls, that kinda shit, you know?”</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“What in heaven’s name would ever give you that impression of me?” Rhea asks as Edelgard  takes a spot beside her. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“I don’t know! It wasn’t any kind of like, judgement on you. You’re just very neat and tidy, I didn’t expect a little bungalow with floral wallpaper and a bunch of pictures in the hallway. I mean, say you didn’t know me, the hell kind of place do you think I’d live?” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“You could have asked me the day you stepped into my class and I’d’ve guess you’d live in a cramped apartment above a gay bar.” Rhea leans against Edelgard as she teases her. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“Ha ha. Very funny, my sides are splitting.” Edelgard said with the flattest affect she could manage. After a moment, she puts her arm over Rhea’s shoulders, and she feels her nestle in to the touch. She’d missed this, all of it. “I’ve missed you, Ray… I’m glad you came back, and I’m sorry that I let it all, uh, blow up like it did.” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“You had every right to be upset, El… Everything was a mess, and that’s not just your fault.” A moment passes, and Edelgard holds Rhea close, a million thoughts swimming in her head, and all of them about the woman now laying her head of ever-soft seafoam green hair on her shoulder.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>She doesn’t think for a moment longer as she leans her head in, which is probably smart because if she had she likely would have stopped herself a second before she pressed her lips against Rhea’s forehead. But, instead she goes through with it, a small, infantesimal sign of affection that may as well stretch a mile by how long they’ve both missed it. Rhea smiles at the kiss, and the two share a glance that says a thousand words without a single one being uttered. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Edelgard was still afraid. She had never stopped being afraid since the night she escaped, the night Dema dragged her into the bar. She was still terrified of what could go wrong, but she had seen Rhea stand up, not for her, not for the bar, but for herself, for her niece, for the community they both belonged to. Rhea had shown her, at least in her own way, the proof that Edelgard needed to at least try to trust her enough for them to build something better. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Edelgard cups the curve of Rhea’s jaw, and the two lean into each other before either has the thought to hesitate. Rhea’s lips are soft and plump against the roughness of Edelgard’s, but while Edelgard’s hand on her cheek is gentle, Rhea’s hand finds its way into Edelgard’s hair, grasping the back of her head as if Edelgard might float away without it. But Edelgard likes the grip, likes the security she feels in the way Rhea’s hold assures her she’s wanted there. She moves her own unoccupied hand to Rhea’s other cheek, cupping either side of her face and returning the grasp, pulling Rhea that much farther forward. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>After a second, the two lose their precarious balance, sending Edelgard sprawling back onto the bed, and Rhea just as haphazardly thrown over top of her. Neither breaks the kiss to try and say a thing, instead holding tight to each other, as Rhea pinches Edelgard’s bottom lip between her teeth, and the white haired woman opens her lips eagerly, a moment later feeling Rhea’s tongue slip into her mouth, and moaning at the way she feels Rhea’s weight press unintentionally between her legs. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Rhea feels her head swimming at the rush of familiar and ever-new sensations in the kiss. Edelgard’s tongue feels just like it always did toying with hers, but the taste of liquor is gone, replaced with caramelized honey, mint gum and grenadine. Edelgard’s hands on her face feel as ever so wonderful, but the hungry, desperate grasping she usually did was now replaced with a tender, assured touch, while her legs find their way around Rhea’s waist, pulling her closer to the apex of her thighs. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Rhea takes that as a sign to push on, and puts more pressure right where Edelgard is guiding her, and the moan that earns her is so sinfully sweet it’s utterly heavenly. She moves a hand to Edelgard’s waist, her fingers tracing the edge of her shirt, earning a quick little nod as Edelgard tries not to break the kiss for even a moment. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Rhea’s fingers pop open the buttons of her partner’s shirt with far more ease then her lack of recent practice ought to have earned her, and as she lifts the tanktop under the flannel up and Edelgard’s chest is bared to her, Rhea can’t help but want to taste every single inch of her. Their kiss breaks, and as Edelgard gasps for breath, Rhea’s fingers wrapping around one of her nipples as her lips move to her neck, pecking a scattershot path all along her clavicle and up her neck, until eventually Rhea places a kiss behind her ear, and Edelgard shudders under her gasp. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“Mommy, fuck-” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Edelgard goes stiff as a board once her brain processes the words that she just allowed to leave her lips in a desperate moan, and she remains so motionless as if she’s hoping she might just vanish from existence. She curses herself in her own head for letting such a damned foolish thing slip when things were already so uncertain as she hears Rhea… chuckle?</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“Well that certainly is something new.” Rhea says, trying her best to seem like she has some idea what she’s doing. She hadn’t expected to be called something like that in the bedroom, but she’d be lying if she said it was an unpleasant experience. So, why not play along? “Can I hear it again?” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Edelgard swallows the frog in her throat, her mind falling square into the realm of ‘we’ve dug our grave this deep, why not?’ as she lets the words escape. “Y-yes, mommy.” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“Good girl.” Rhea cooes into Edelgard’s ear, and she could feel the shiver that sent through her. “Do you want me to keep going?” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“Goddess, yes mommy, please.” Edelgard pleads, and Rhea lets out a long, playful ‘hmm’ as she lets her finger drag along Edelgard’s bottom lip. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“Ok then, I’ll continue… but this isn’t for the goddess. This is for you and I, no one and nothing else. I’ve missed your voice, so let me be the only one to hear it, the only one you call for. Can you do that for me, my darling?” Edelgard nods frantically. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“Y-yes, mommy I can. Just please… I-I” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“I know, El.” Rhea assures, hooking a finger under the waistband of her pants, tugging ever so gently, and her request is answered with a somehow even more desperate nod. Rhea undoes the button and zipper with a bit of fiddling, trying to hide her fumbles under the guise that she’s just doing it to tease Edelgard. But that’s not as important as the way Edelgard pulls her back into the kiss as Rhea’s hand slips into her boxers.  </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>The kiss is desperate and starving, as if Rhea’s lips against hers’ were the only thing Edelgard ever wanted to feel, like a black hole so empty and starved that it could consume the entirety of a blazing star now that it was given the chance. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>In truth that was exactly how Edelgard felt. So very very empty, exhausted and drained. She’d spent so long running, hiding, fighting, and now that she was somewhere she shouldn’t do the third, couldn’t do the second, and didn’t want to do the first, she was able to feel just how starved she’d become. There Rhea was, a feast of all the kindness and love she’d thought meant for her to only give, never receive. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>She felt it in the way Rhea still held her head in her hand as they kissed, in the way Rhea’s other hand traced the inside of her thigh, slowly working higher and higher, letting her adjust to the hesitation she could still feel in the pit of her stomach. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>But that wasn’t her, that fear wasn’t her. It might be her scar tissue, but it wasn’t her and she knew that now. She wanted Rhea, wanted everything of her she was willing to give. But even if she could tell the feelings that were hers versus that fear that had held her in place all these years, that didn’t stop it from tearing at the back of her eyes, pushing through her tear ducts and sliding down her cheeks. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
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                        <em>“Edelgard-” Rhea asks, before El can even realize the kiss is broken, or that her hand had been pulled out of her pants. “El, you’re crying. Do I need to stop?” Rhea’s hand moves from behind her head to her cheek, and  Edelgard shakes her head no. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
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                </em>
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                        <em>“No, please don’t. I… I need this. I want this. I just… It’s just hard. I’ll tell you if I need to stop.” Edelgard sees the faintest hint of hesitation in Rhea’s eyes, not for herself but for El’s sake, and tries to assure her that much more. “Please, m-mommy, I need you. I want to feel you.” Rhea goes red at the address, and nods at her pleading. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
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                </em>
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            </em>
          </em>
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</p><p>
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        <em>
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            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“OK, darling… if you’re certain.” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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      </em>
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                        <em>The kiss resumes, slow at first, but quickly moving to match and exceed the pace set before. Rhea’s tongue flicks against Edelgard’s, and she feels the woman beneath her shudder as her fingers slip back into her underwear, and finally brush against her clit. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
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                        <em>She swirls her fingers in a circle around her clit once, twice over, dipping her fingers down and wetting them against Edelgard’s lips before returning to her twirling. Over the next several minutes, Edelgard slips further and further into an absolute mess. Her breath spikes, hitches, and escapes in pants and desperate gasps, her hands move from Rhea’s face to clutching at her shoulders and back, holding onto her for dear life. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
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                        <em>Quite some time passes with them like that, and Rhea feels Edelgard’s body grow more and more tense beneath her with every pass of her fingers, a spring wound tighter and tighter and tighter, unable to release that tension. Even when Rhea works a single finger inside of her, as slow and delicate as she can be, letting that finger explore until she finds a spot that makes Edelgard gasp her new ‘title’ for Rhea, she still can’t seem to find her way to release. Rhea worries she’s doing something wrong, even as she adds a second finger to help press on Edelgard’s spot more firmly, but even after a while of that leaving Rhea’s hand so damp as to be dripping down into the fabric of El’s boxers, even as she toys with her clit using her thumb on top of all of that, Edelgard still continues to wind tighter and tighter. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
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                </em>
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                        <em>Rhea pulls back from the kiss, and feels Edelgard’s grasp on her hold tighter still, pulling her closer and burying her face into the crook of Rhea’s neck. Rhea realizes that perhaps it’s not her actions or Edelgard’s body stopping El from reaching that peak, but El’s mind. She goes with the feelings, leaning in to whisper into Edelgard’s ear as she hears the muffled sound of the young woman whimpering her muffled pleas for more into her ‘mommy’s’ shoulder. There’s an idea burning at the back of Rhea’s mind, the sum of her thinking about the way Edelgard calls her something so strangely out of place, yet still so shamefully invigorating to Rhea as she’s called it, along with the way Edelgard clings to her, and everything else about the younger woman she’s been blessed to know. That sum, that idea, pushes Rhea to speak, to see if she knows just what might help her finally unwind. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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            </em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
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                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>“I’m right here, my love, I’m not going anywhere. You’re safe.” </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
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                        <em>The last words leave her lips, and she feels Edelgard grow that much more tense, hug her that much closer, whimpering that much louder into her. “Fu-fuck, mommy I-!” Edelgard’s thighs clasp around Rhea’s hand as her hips grind against her now trapped fingers, thankfully her moan is muffled by Rhea’s shoulder, but that makes it no less beautiful to Rhea as she feels Edelgard’s climax rock her entire body like an earthquake. She lets her fingers run through Edelgard’s hair, repeating the assurance a dozen times over into Edelgard’s ear as she feels her slowly coming down from that high, and when Edelgard’s breathing has finally started to calm, she slips her fingers out of her, and can’t help but chuckle at the adorable shiver that runs through her partner’s body when she does. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>They fall into a messy tangle of limbs, Edelgard still clinging tight to Rhea as she runs her fingers through her hair. The music from the stereo still plays throughout the room, and when Rhea looks at the stereo system, she sees a tape case decorated with a small, poorly drawn adrestian eagle on the cover, and can’t help but chuckle. She’d kept her tape. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>She turns back to Edelgard’ smiling and pressing a kiss against her forehead. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>“I love you, El.” She whispers, not even sure if Edelgard is still awake until she sees the young woman shift, pulling her closer as impossible as that seems. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>“I love you too, Ray…” Edelgard mumbles, and Rhea knows just a moment later Edelgard has fallen completely asleep. She manages to get a grip on the blanket folded neatly at the foot of her at-one-time well made bed, pulling it up over the both of them, her own exhaustion, physical, mental, and emotional setting in as her eyelids grow heavy. </em>
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                        <em>Flayn is in the kitchen, fetching a glass of water when she hears the knock at the front door. She is petrified for a minute of who it might be, until she hears a muffled argument on the other side of the door. </em>
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                        <em>“- trying to show off, you fucking ass-” Sylven says, only for Demeter to tell her to be quiet. Sylven suggests to ring the doorbell, but by that point, Flayn has already reached the door and flung it open. </em>
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                        <em>“I was wondering what was…” Flayn goes quiet as she sees Demeter and Sylven standing in the entryway with bags full of things, taking a moment to realize that they’re her things. </em>
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                        <em>“Had to make a pittstop.” Sylven adds with a grin, gesturing to the two bags full of clothes in one of her hands. Compared to Sylven’s small contribution, Demeter was absolutely piled high with bags and boxes, to the point she was almost entirely hidden behind it. “Got somewhere we can set this stuff before Casenova here keels over?” </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>“Sylven-” Demeter mutters from behind the boxes. </em>
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                        <em>“Shut up, no one asked you.” Sylven snaps, looking back to Flayn with a grin. </em>
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                        <em>“Y-yes, follow me.” Flayn says, turning to guide them to the room, only for Sylven to cough and get her attention. </em>
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                        <em>“Flayn, I think Demeter might need some uh, direct guidance. I’d love to do it, but my hands are full.” Sylven says as she steps into the house. Flayn wants to point out she in fact has an entire free hand, but instead she rolls her eyes, walking back and grabbing Demeter’s hand, guiding her through the doorway and toward the room. </em>
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                        <em>At the end of the hall, farthest away from the front entryway, the quietest hints of music can be heard through the door. </em>
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                        <em>"Here." Flayn says as they walk into the bedroom. "Just set it down anywhere. How did you manage to even get this stuff?" Flayn watches Demeter set the heavy boxes onto the floor at the foot of the bed, and her face grows warm. She has to look away to avoid staring at the way Demeter’s muscles strain against her shirt as she does it. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"We just made a quick stop by your old house. Someone must have left the window open, so we might have, you know, taken advantage of that and made sure we grabbed as much of your stuff as we could." Demeter said with a nervous grin. "We tried to uh, respect as much privacy as we could while we grabbed your stuff, but we tried to make sure to get everything." Flayn realizes exactly what Demeter was trying to say, and somehow manages to grow even redder in the face at the thought of Demeter handling her underwear. Sylven… well, Flayn certainly wasn't against that thought, but at the moment the mountain of a woman standing in her room is the center of her attention as she opens one box, and pulls out Flayn's laptop. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"Oh my gosh, thank you so much!" She turns around and sees Demeter looking out the door toward the front area. "Is something wrong?" </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"Sylven… the hell did she go?" Demeter mutters to herself, walking out to the front room. A moment later, Flayn hears her mutter "Son of a bitch!" From the front room, walking back in with the two bags sylven had been holding in her hand a few minutes prior. "She left." Demeter tosses the bags onto the bed, and Flayn sees a note attached to one, a crude doodle of Sylven giving a thumbs up with one hand and a middle finger with the other. ‘Go for it, you dumb bitch’ written in surprisingly neat cursive. Demeter seems to realize Flayn is looking at the note, snatching it up and stuffing it into the pocket of her jacket. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"What was that?" Flayn asks, stepping closer to a now furiously blushing Demeter. </em>
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                        <em>"N-nothing. Just Syl thinking she's funny. She took the truck and dipped out, by the looks of it." Demeter says, not stepping away from Flayn. After a moment, a realization hits, and her eyes light up. "I almost forgot!" Demeter reaches into her jacket and produces a, now very squished, stuffed animal in the shape of a fish. Flayn snags the fish from Demeter, absolutely bouncing with joy as she hugs it to her chest. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"Oh my gosh! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Flayn squeals, tossing herself at Demeter and wrapping her midsection in a hug, still not able to hold still, practically bouncing with joy. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"Of course. I know that fish means a lot to you. I… I wanted to try and make all this at least a little bit better than it was." Demeter says as she hugs Flayn back. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"You've done a lot more than you know." Flayn says as she pulls away, still hugging the fish as she sits back on the bed. "I… this really means the world to me, Dema. Thank you so much."</em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"Of course." Demeter gestures to the spot besides Flayn. "Can I sit?" Flayn nods, scooting over and patting the bed beside her. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"Please do."</em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"Thank you." Demeter takes a seat, and neither of them has the nerve to try and get closer to the other. Flayn just looks at Scales, the massive stuffed fish having regained much of its size now that it was free from Demeter's pocket. </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"My mom always loved fish… that's what dad always told me anyway." She frowns even as she says the word 'dad'. That just didn't feel right anymore. "I don't remember a lot about her… she died when I was barely five. All I really have of her is the memories of the Emperor and his Wolf, and Scales... It's nice to have something physical to remind me she was actually ever here to begin with." </em>
                      </em>
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                        <em>"I'm glad I could help get you that one piece of her back. Holding on to the family that you love… it makes it easier to lose the family that doesn't love you." Demeter looks down at her hands, toying with her fingers. </em>
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                        <em>"I suppose you'd know better than most…" Flayn hugs the fish tighter. "You and Edelgard both tend to be pretty quiet about family… If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up… walking away?" </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>" I don't mind. I… I can't talk a lot about Edelgard's side, she hasn't told me much and what she has is hers to decide if it should be shared or not." </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Of course."</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"But for me… There was a night when El had gotten in trouble at the Academy, something big that had gotten her in real deep shit with our parents. They flew out, renting this ungodly large house out in the middle of the woods, and said we were going to have a 'family conference' about what to do. It was supposed to happen Sunday… Saturday night, I wake up to the sound of the door opening, and heavy footsteps walking into the house. I got up and went to the hall, and my parents were out there, just watching as these men dragged Edelgard out of her room, kicking and screaming. They told me to go back to bed, that we'd talk about it in the morning, but El… She was begging for help, I couldn't leave her like that. I tried to grab one of the men, to get him away from her. My father tried to tell me to quiet down, to let 'the nice men do their jobs', even tried grabbing me. I put him on the floor. He'd always been so adamant about me being an athlete, guess he never expected me to use that muscle for anything other than being his trophy kid. I guess finally the guy I was trying to stop decided he was done putting up with me, and he just booted me out of the way. Sent me crashing through a little display case. That's where I got-" she gestures to the scar over her eye. " this from. I tried to get back up, but by the time I'd made it to my feet, El was gone and I was being berated for costing the family however much that display was going to be. I hadn't even come out to them at that point, but I'm glad I didn't. If they’d known and I’d gotten dragged off with El… I don’t know where we’d be now.” There’s a fear in Dema’s voice as she says that, and Flayn realizes just how small Demeter looks as she tells the story. “But I told them both to rot in hell, walked out the door, and never looked back… the bar was the closest place I could think of, so I went there. The old owner, Jack, she patched me up and Sylven gave me a place to stay… I drove that truck around every backroad I could for months looking for Edelgard. If it weren't for blind luck, I don't think I'd have ever found her. She just came out of the trees, covered in blood that wasn't hers, some of it that was, and a half a dozen men chasing after her. They'd nearly made it to the truck by the time we were loaded up and driving away... the next day, I bought my gun. I was never going to be that close to defenseless ever again, I was never going to fail to keep those I care about safe ever again." Demeter wipes a tear from her cheek, and a moment later Flayn intertwines their fingers together, giving Demeter's hand a tight squeeze. She can see the maw of the wolf tattooed on her forearm peeking out of her sleeve, teeth bared and ever ready to strike. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"I hope you know that I appreciated you being there for me today. I don’t think I could have made it without you all standing beside me." </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"I'm glad I could be there… I care about you a lot, Flayn." </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"I care about you too, Dema." </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>They sit there,looking at each other as the tension in the room seems to grow thick enough to cut with a knife in an instant. Both of them flounder to figure out if the other meant what they'd said in the same way they had, and just as they seem to lean in to each other, the jingle of Demeter's cell phone snaps them both out of the haze they'd found themselves in. They quickly pull away, both blushing furiously, and Demeter pulls her phone out, seeing a read-out of a text. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"I-its Sylven. She says she's on her way back…" Demeter says, while the actual message reads 'Hey sugartits, I'm heading back. If you're not out there waiting for me in ten minutes, I'm going to assume you've found 'alternative sleeping arrangements' ;)'.  </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Oh, that's um… that's good." Flayn stutters out before she realizes that is, in fact, awful. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Yeah. I should probably uh… go wait for her." Demeter says, standing and pocketing her phone, in the process knocking the note she'd stuffed into that same pocket onto the floor. Flayn sees it, Sylvens pencil-doodle self giving her both a supportive and rude hand sign, the text telling her to 'go for it'. So, she does. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Wait, Dema!" Flayn manages to get out when Dema reaches the door. The blonde looks back at her, concerned, and Flayn decides to say something before she can second guess herself. "Could you stay? Tonight, I mean. I understand if not, but I… I feel safe, with you here, and it would mean a lot to me." Demeter tries to hide the smile on her face, but she doesn't do well as she walks back to the bed.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Of course, Flayn. I'd be happy to." </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Demeter takes her seat again, this time feeling Flayn lean against her. Eventually, they find their way down, and Flayn curls up in Demeter's arms, finally feeling, for once, like she didn't have to be afraid. Her secret was out, and yet here she was, safe and sound in a beautiful woman's arms in a home with family she knew loved her for her. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>There were certainly worse ways for things to go, as she'd find out when summer hit.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
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        <em>
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              <em>
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                  <em>
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                      <em>
                        <em>There's a cool breeze in the air as Edelgard sits on the stoop in front of Rhea's front door, unsurprising seeing as it's 3 am. Or it had been a few minutes prior when her phone had gone off, telling her to close the bar, and she'd thankfully silenced it quick enough to not wake the dozing woman who had been sleeping beside her. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
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          <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>She pulled her phone out and rang the fourth number in her favorite contacts, pulling out a pack of cigarettes at the same time. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"What's up, shortstack?" Catherine asks as the line connects. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"The sky, I thought you'd know that seeing as you're huffing clouds, sasquatch." Edelgard sticks a cigarette in her mouth, searching for her lighter. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
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      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Fuck you too, Edelgard. But what's going on? I thought you'd be needing to sleep around now." Catherine’s insinuation would annoy Edelgard more if it weren’t accurate, but she opts not to comment. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
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              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Wanted to check up. See how the place is doing." Edelgard says, swearing under her breath as she tries to find her lighter. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"You've been gone a whole six hours. The bar is fine, we're alive and well, and we just finished locking up and setting up the futon. You can calm down, El, we've got guard duty tonight, you get to have a break. Take advantage of it." Catherine's advice is sound, and Edelgard sighs as she shakes her head. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
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                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Fine." Edelgard says, finally giving up on trying to find her lighter, stuffing the cigarette back into the pack as she pulls a pack of painfully minty nicotine gum from her other pocket, popping one into her mouth. " I just wanted to be-" </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
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                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"I know, El." Cat sympathizes with her, she knows that, but it still ate at her. "We're here. If anyone tries to attack this place, we can protect it. If someone comes here looking for help, we'll be here. You don't have to stress." </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
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  <em>
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        <em>
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                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"I know… thanks, Cat." Edelgard pauses, chewing the gum in her mouth, feeling the mint flavor absolutely overwhelm her senses so soon after waking up. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Don't mention it, half pint. Now if you'll excuse me, a bitch needs her beauty sleep." </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Clearly, considering how sleep deprived you must be to walk around looking like that all day." </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
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    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Love you too, shithead. Tell Dema we send our best." Edelgard is about to ask what the hell that meant when Catherine hangs up the phone. Edelgard mutters an obscenity to herself, tossing her phone in her pocket. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
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      <em>
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                      <em>
                        <em>She had been so afraid just hours ago when she and Rhea first talked. The prospect of another chance was exhilarating, enticing, and utterly, completely terrifying. All she had thought of was the chances of something going wrong, something falling apart, something breaking again. But in the time that had passed, while she knew there were a million other things that could go wrong, even with the best of intentions, she knew that those were what Rhea had, the best of intentions. She finally felt like Rhea wanted what she had for so long, to try and believe there was something more for them in this world than just being each other's preferred booty call.  </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
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  </em>
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                      <em>
                        <em>It had never really been that, if she was honest with herself. Rhea had held Edelgard’s heart in her hands from the moment she’d walked into the bar that night. At first she had thought Rhea was just a ghost of a life unbroken by family, fire, prayer or pain, that Rhea had been a wisp of a connection she’d craved to the person she used to be. But whether that had been true at the time or not, now all she could see when she looked into Rhea's eyes was a chance at a life that, while not unscarred, was whole. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
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          </em>
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                        <em>Edelgard had been enticed by Rhea as a vestige of her past, but what had kept hold of her every second since the end of that first night together was the fact that, with Rhea, she had found a scrap of hope that she could build a future worth living for. It might last forever, or it might not work out, but Edelgard wanted to try. With or without Rhea by her side, Edelgard was trying to let that night that had consumed all the years since her escape finally end.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
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  </em>
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                      <em>
                        <em>The edge of that dawn terrified her as it broke over the horizon, but she could find it just a fraction less scary if she had her Ray of Sunshine by her side.  </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
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                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>The door opens behind her, and she sees Rhea standing in the doorway, Edelgard’s old jacket, a baggy pair of pajama pants and a tank top being the beginning and end of her attire. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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                      <em>
                        <em>"El? What are you doing out here? It's freezing." She asks, wiping sleep from her eyes. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
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                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>"Sorry, hun. I just wanted to check and make sure the bar was ok." Rhea reaches out her hand, tugging on Edelgard's once she gets ahold of it. </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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          </em>
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                      <em>
                        <em>"Ok. Now come on, you'll catch your death out here, and the bed feels lonely without you there." Edelgard doesn't argue, letting herself be pulled back into the warm cozy home, and back into bed.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
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</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>SO YEAH. That was a lot, but i'm excited to hear everyone's thoughts and opinions. I haven't done much with music and songs in-fic before, so I'm uncertain how well they worked here. Let me know what you think! I have some ideas for where I want to go with a third and potentially final part, but that'll likely be another month or two until it's done. Comments are as always appreciated, and I hope everyone enjoyed this! I love writing these lesbians so fuckin' much, and it's nice to see how much all y'all enjoy it. </p><p>But for anyone wondering about tracks, </p><p>Song in the car with El/Rhea: Lua by bright eyes<br/>Song Dema listened to in the backroom: Two Coffins by Against Me<br/>The song El sang along to during an emotional breakdown: Fast Car by Tracy Chapman<br/>Song El played in Rhea's Room: Underneath by Maia Sharp.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have a sequal loosely planned for this, tho I'm unsure about if there'll be any interest to begin with, so lemme know what you think. Shout out to @TheUnqualified1 for helping me come up with the name for the bar, that honestly was one of the hardest parts of this fic. </p><p>So Yeah, THAT all certainly happened.I explained the premise of this fic to a very very dear friend of mine, and she said that it sounded less like a smut fic with angst at the end and more like an angst fic that used the smut as bait. I gotta say, she's probably a bit more right then I want to admit. This fic started out as just a fun little romp with the idea of revenge-fucking the closet-case homophobe, with just a little sprinkling of religious trauma, you know, for flavor. But... well we all saw what it turned into. I had a lot of fun examining the absolutely FUCKED dynamic these two started with, and letting it develop into something pretty sweet.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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